Remembering
by Villana Del Amor
Summary: As the members of the team struggle to find their own seprate identities, they find themselves falling back in line against their own will. BRAND NEW. Please R & R
1. Introductions

**Title: **Remembering  
**Author:** Villana Del Amor _-formerly-_Vinzfavgurrl69  
**Summary: **The team grabs the chance for a fresh start- still living out their old ways, but will the past catch up with them?  
**Rating: **M  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters of The Fast and The Furious but for now I'm borrowing. All other characters that aren't in the movie belong to me.  
**Note:** This fic has not been beta'd so please excuse my spelling, grammar, and language.

**Chapter 1: Introductions**

Alexis walked across the deserted Mexican road, her leather pants riding dangerously low on her hips, the sun beaming down on her. She pulled up the brim of her wifebeater and brought it up to her face, revealing her hard abs and wiped the sweat off her forehead. As the wind picked up, blowing her hair out of her face, the only sound that is heard are the tanned girl's heavy boots on the asphalt.

Across the road, she finds a bright blue skyline, the air conditioner already churning its soft hum. After taking a quick survey of her surroundings she gets inside the car, and sighs. "Another day in the life," she mutters softly, turning up the stereo and pulling off the road's shoulder.

She drives off with such speed and confidence that only an experienced driver would have. Seat leaned back, body slumped in the seat, one arm on the steering wheel, an elbow leaning on the door and a permanent scowl that had taken residency on her face was the image that assaulted the residents of the small Mexican town. They heard her a mile away, and they knew that the purr of her engine meant to get out of her way.

After turning onto a road, she turns into an empty shady parking lot across from a small store and quickly turns the car off. As she climbs out of the car, you notice a tattoo on her lower back – La Fiera (The Fury). Her back-length straight brown hair quickly found itself in a messy bun on the top of her neck as she exits the car.

Before closing the door, she pulls out a pair of dark sun glasses and places them on her face. As she waits for the traffic to clear to on the road, she cocks her head to the side and frowns. The faint humming of tuner engines can be softly heard. She leaned against her car, arms crossed over chest and feet crossed at their ankles, waiting. Minutes later, as the faint hum turned into a roar, three cars pulled into a parking lot across the road, in front of the town's local convenience store.

"As if this town wasn't small enough," she said sarcastically, crossing the street.

--

Mia climbed out of Letty's car, which she had been driving and quickly glanced at the injured girl in the back seat. "Dom, this could be bad," she said, turning around to find him standing behind her. He quickly glanced into the backseat and ran a hand down his face.

Leon looked through his tinted windows at the display before him. He knew it wouldn't be long before everything came crashing down again. Mia was practically in shambles at the last 24 hours events, Letty was in her backseat torn apart physically and emotionally, Dom's shoulder looked like it had been dislocated, and he….well he... He didn't know what he was. Physically he was fine, but emotionally…that was another story. He didn't know if his little brother was alive or if his best friend had come through alright. He didn't know anything.

Dom tapped on his window lightly and waited for Leon to lower it. "You don't look suspicious or hurt. Go over to that store over there and get some info. Letty needs a doctor and we need a place to crash," he said. Leon simply rolled the window up and got out of the car.

As the Mexican heat assaulted him, Leon felt nauseous. He took a couple of deep breaths as he made his way over to the store.

--

Alex watched out of the corner of her eye as a man stepped out of the yellow skyline and began to make his way towards the store. He was tall, dressed in a jersey and jeans, his hair was messy and his green eyes seemed to make her relax instantly. She rolled her eyes as she spotted the big, bald man dressed in jeans and a dirty white v-neck, standing in front of his car with the hood up, trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

As she made her way over to the door's front door, she watched as the blonde guy tried to push the door open, but to much avail, it was locked. He looked inside the store and found it empty and dark. "Can I help you?" Alex asked, startling the blonde.

He took a step back and glanced at her nervously. "Look, I don't bite much. It just looks like you needed some help," she said. The guy swallowed a couple of times before speaking. "Sorry. I'm just looking for some info. A place to stay? Eat? A doctor?" He asked.

"Down the road, make a left then a right. Eat at your own risk and a doctor, you got one," she said. As blondie opened his mouth to speak when a screeching car alarm cut through the air. The blonde guy looked toward his car, but found no one near it. Alex quickly glanced across the street at the little kids playing near her car. "ONE DENT AND I'M GOING TO BURY ALL OF YOU ALIVE WHERE YOUR PARENTS WON'T FIND YOU!" She yelled.

The little kids scattered at the venomous words that were thrown at them. "You own a skyline?" He asked. Alexis glared at the man, tired of all his questions. "Listen, I gave you the info you need. Now get out of my way, I have work to do," she said roughly. Alex reached in her pocket and pulled out a single key, unlocking the store's front door.

She stepped inside and turned on all the lights and the fans that were hanging from the ceiling. She made her way behind the counter and began to organize things. "Can I help you?" She asked again, noticing that he was still standing in front of the store. "My two friends out there need medical attention. They need a doctor. You said I had one," he said simply.

Alex shook her head softly. "Why can't I just stay to myself sometimes? People complain that I'm a bitch, yet they still try to domesticate me," she said softly to herself. She turned around and faced the man completely. "Fine. I'll patch your two friends up, but after that you're gone. Got it?" She said, rudely. The man nodded softly and walked away from the store.

--

Dom watched as Leon approached him, after spending various minutes inside the store. "What took you so long?" Dom demanded to know. Leon stopped walking and glared at Dom. He held a single hand up, as if telling him to drop it. "She's the town doc. She'll patch you up and then that's it, we're off," he said simply.

Alexis stepped out of the store, a cell phone in hand. Dom watched as she spoke sternly into, before hanging up. "Follow me," she said, before crossing the street towards her car.

Dom, Leon and Mia slipped behind their wheels and pulled off after her, trying to keep up. It was a five minute ride from the store to a large two floor house down by the beach. Alexis pulled into the driveway and shut her engine off. She waited for the rest of them to catch up to her, before exiting her car. "You left your store unattended. You're not worried?" Leon asked, as he and Dom carried Letty onto the porch. "What's your name?" Alex asked, opening her front door and letting them inside. "Leon," he replied.

"Leon, did you ever stop to ask yourself if you asked too many damn questions?" She asked, walking through the house to the back room, where she motioned for them to lay out Letty. Letty scoffed softly to herself and managed to grin slightly, before the pain set in. "She's like a female version of me," she said. Alexis laughed softly to herself. "Don't flatter yourself," she said.

Dom looked at the woman in front of him, so many questions fluttering through his mind. "What's your name? Because you sure as hell don't look like a doctor to me," he gruffly said. "Mine's Alexis, and yours? You sure as hell don't look like a mechanic to me, or else you would've known your carburetor is messed up and not the fan belt," she said. Dom looked shocked, speechless in fact. "Yeah, I knew all that without even looking under the hood, just from the sound that piece of shit makes."

Mia noticed things weren't going in such a good direction. "Hi Alexis, I'm Mia. This big teddy bear here is Dom and that's Letty lying on your couch. We really appreciate what you're doing for us, don't we Dom?" She said, placing a hand firmly on Dom's bad shoulder. He nodded in pain, but not before cursing loudly.

"Look, let's get this show on the road, I have a life you know," she said, before taking a closer look at Letty. "I'm going to need you guys to leave the room for a minute," she said.

As Alexis escorted them out of the room, Dom stopped briefly and looked at her. Alex saw the intensity in his eyes. "Just stop the pain. Please, don't let her hurt anymore," he whispered softly. Alex nodded slowly, her eyes tearing a bit before closing the door.

--

"He loves you, you know," Alex whispered, as she bandaged up Letty's ribs. Letty scoffs softly, because of her injuries. "Sometimes I wonder if it's even worth it- his love I mean. He treats me like his queen when I'm with him, but when he's by himself or with the boys, he turns into a man whore," she said.

Alexis laughed softly. "Fuck that nigga, but God forbid he leaves you, you probably turn into a mess," she said. "You're not from around here, are you? And is it written all over my face?" Letty asked, softly. Alex shook her head. "Nope, it's in your eyes." Letty nodded softly. Alex gave her a once over and nodded. "You're done. Just don't move around a lot and let your ribs heal. That gash on your head will heal with time. Just keep it clean and dry. I don't have any pain meds, so you'll have to tough it out," Lex said, stepping back, giving Letty room to stand up from the couch.

"Thanks for everything. It's been fun talking to you. I hope to see you around soon," she said, putting her shirt back on. "Letty, don't get your hopes up. I'm not much of a people person," Alex said, opening the door for her. "Next victim," she yelled out.

--

"There's not much I can do for you Dom. I can stitch you up and put that arm back in place but I don't have any medicine. You'll have to tough it out like normal people, get drunk off your ass and pass out," she said softly, her hand on Dom's shoulder.

As Dom was thinking of a smart remark to say back to her, Alex quickly pushed the arm back into its socket and Dom yelled out in pain. "They say surprise is the best weapon of all," she said, laughing softly. Dom jumped out his seat, grabbing at his arm. She saw the anger in his eyes, which quickly melted into gratitude. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Why does it feel like that will be the first and last time I'll ever here that from you?"


	2. Conflicts

**Chapter 2: Conflicts**

Leon fell back into his motel room bed, the soft hum of the air conditioner lulling him to sleep. "Le?" Mia asked from her bed, across the room. "Yeah?" He replied. "Do you think Jesse and V are alright?" She asked.

Leon stared up at the ceiling. As he thought about his baby bro, a sob escaped his body. Quickly after that he found Mia in his bed, wrapping her arms around him, his teary face buried in her neck. "It's going to be okay, Le. We'll find a way soon to go check up on them," she whispered, softly, rubbing his back until they both fell asleep.

--

As Dom walked into the motel room next to him, his blood began to boil. He found his baby sister in the arms of his best friend. To him, it all looked wrong.

Mia was in one of Leon's jersey, which reached to the middle of her thighs. Leon was clad only in boxers, his face in her neck, her arms around him, and one leg over his. It was a compromising position, one that he knew very well.

He walked over to them and kicked the bed with his boot. Mia jumped up, while Leon only clung tighter to her. She glanced at the angry look on Dom's face and then down at Leon. She knew what it looked like and shook Leon awake. Someone had to help her control Dominic.

"It's not what it looks like, bro," Leon mumbled, stretching. "It looks like my best friend, who spent the night drinking himself away, came home to my sister and took advantage of her," Dom yelled. Leon laughed and stood up from the bed. "You are so wrong, it's not even funny. Last time I checked, this isn't home," Leon said back, ignoring the obvious. "And," Mia said, finally gaining courage to speak for herself, "he didn't come home to me. I came home to him." Dom gasped.

He rolled his fists tightly and glared at Mia. She smiled happily at him and laughed. Dom quickly fled the room. "You just had to say that didn't you?" Leon asked, plopping back down into the bed. "It's not like he already didn't think that we were doing each other. I'm lying in bed wearing your clothes. You're in bed with me in boxers and sporting a hard on. I don't think he's that dense," she said, laughing.

Leon glanced down at his crotch and noticed that she spoke the truth. He blushed and placed a hand over his crotch. "Sorry," he whispered. Mia glanced down at Leon and for the first time she saw him for the man he really was.

Mia reached over and pushed his hand aside, placing hers where his once rested. "Mia….I don't think…" Leon began to say but was stopped by her tongue in his mouth. She kissed him softly, while he returned her kisses full of passion. They separated, their bodies panting. They looked at each other, wondering where this was going. "This isn't right Mia. You love Brian. I'm not good—" Once again, she had shut him up, but this time she did it by removing his jersey off of her body and facing him naked from the waist up.

"Just go with it, Leon. We are two consenting adults with too much pain to face the world by ourselves," she whispered. Leon stared up at the goddess in front of him, speechless. He nodded softly, while running his hands up her sides, over her breasts, behind her neck, and through her hair. She kissed him softly, running her hands over his defined abs, stopping at the waistband of his boxers. "You sure?" She asked. Leon nodded softly, the need showing in his eyes.

He flipped them over quickly, him landing on top and Mia on the bottom. He kissed her hungrily, working his way to her breasts. "Leon, I wanna feel you inside of me," she moaned. Leon quickly obliged, stripping down and revealing himself to her. "They always did call you the ladies man, Le. Now I know why," she joked around. He blushed slightly and crawled up in between her legs. He kissed her softly, placing his hands on the headboard, her hands crawling onto his ass. He pushed inside her softly and groaned into her ear. He felt her nails dig into his ass and she pumped him into her harder.

"LEON!" She moaned. "Mi, God, oh, Mia," he struggled out, pumping harder into her, the bed squeaking. He felt himself about to come and at the last minute he pulled out, cumming on her stomach. "Leon, you just had to do that, didn't you?" She asked, a disgusted look on her face. "It was either that or in 9 months you would be asking the same question," he said, laughing softly.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up. Then I'll take you out for breakfast," he said, picking her up from the bed and carrying her into the adjoining bathroom.

--

Dom sat on the edge of his bed, a look of disgust on his face. He let out the deep breath he was holding in when the thumping from the other room stopped. Letty turned over in her bed and glanced at him smiling to herself. "Payback's a bitch," she whispered to herself, before turning over and going back to sleep.

--

Mia and Leon climbed into the skyline and took off, leaving tread marks in their place. "Do you think he'll ever come back, Le?" She asked softly, her feet up on the dashboard. "I don't think will," he replied, pulling the car up to convenience store from before. "He doesn't know where we're at," he said, getting out of the car.

"Hmmm….that might explain a lot," she said, laughing. Leon threw an arm around her shoulders as they walked into the store. Alex spotted them and rolled her eyes. "Well, well, well. Isn't itthe ones that promised to go away?" She said.

"Well, we can't get rid of that easily, especially when we're hungry," Leon said, his stomach growling. "Let me share a secret with you guys," she said, motioning for them to come over. Mia and Leon took a seat in front of the counter. Alexis leaned in and faced both of them seriously. "This isn't my store. I'm babysitting for a friend that went over to Cali for a few days. I can't cook for the life of me. So if you plan on eating anything that I'm making, you've been warned," she said.

"Mia," Leon said, motioning to the counter and handing her a rag that was lying on it. She jumped up with joy and grabbed the cloth, running behind the counter. Both Leon and Alex noticed how at home she looked and didn't want to disturb that. "Let me get a BLT with the works," Alex said, smiling. "Make that two," Leon said, rubbing his stomach.

Just like old times.

--

Vince looked down at his best friend and wondered what the hell he was going to tell him if he ever woke up from the coma he was in. "Jesse. Wake up, bro. I need you out here with me. These damn nurses keep trying to feed me crappy hospital food and can you believe that they won't let me have anything to drink? I want to get out of here kid. I guess the only good news I can offer right now is the fact that the buster took the heat and made up some complete bullshit story about the trucks. Even got the driver to keep his mouth shut with a little persuasion. I miss you, bro. You gotta come help me stay sane," Vince whispered to Jesse.

The nurse walked in and cleared her throat when she realized she was interrupting a private moment between the two friends. "Am I wasting my time? Can he even hear me?" He asked, his voice full of sorrow, not looking at her. "Vincent, even though he's in a coma, it doesn't mean he can't hear you or that he can't feel the love you have for him," the nurse said. "Take me back to my room," he grumbled.

That night Vince didn't sleep at all. He flicked through the basic channels that the hospital offered and turned it off when he found nothing worth his time. He stared off into space as he wondered where Mia, Leon, and Letty where. He purposely didn't want to think about Dominic Toretto at all. His brother and best friend since the third grade forgot all about him, left him hanging off the side of a truck to rot. Vince flung the remote control against the wall as he thought about how he had been left for dead.

He looked down at his bum arm, trying to will the gauze to come off and the stitches to disappear. He knew that he would be scarred for the rest of his life, both physically and emotionally.

He tried to will himself to death that night. Much to his dismay, he woke up the next morning.

--

Leon, Mia, and Alex sat around the store talking crap to each other and eating junk food. Dom strolled into the store grabbing a bag of Doritos off a shelf. Letty walked in after him, her pace slower then his. Alex nodded to Letty and ignored Dom. "Glad to see you two could pry yourself out of bed," Dom said, dropping into a seat next to Leon. "Listen Dom, about that, I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions and if I want to see Leon every now and then I think that it's my decision," Mia said, facing her brother.

"Decisions? The last time you made a decision it almost brought about the demise of this team. You let him into this family without a single doubt and if you think you plan on seeing Leon anymore you got another thing coming," Dom said, slapping his hand down on the counter, like as if laying down the law. With one swift push, Mia pushed her brother off the counter chair and kicked him in the side.

"Fuck you Dom! When you made the decision to have Vince hanging off some fucking truck with a bullet hole in his side, nobody said a damn thing. When you made the decision to hijack those fucking trucks almost killing Letty, nobody said a damn thing. I'm not Letty, Leon, Vince, or Jesse. I WILL fuck Leon or whoever I want to whenever I want to. When you whore around on Letty it's alright, but God forbid I fuck some guy I've known my whole entire life, the world will come to an end," Mia yelled at him.

Dom was up on his feet in mere seconds, backhanding Mia, sending her falling on to the floor. Leon jumped up from his sit, hitting Dom in the face with a right hook. Alex saw this scene playing in front of here and understood that eventually Dom would pummel them all into little pieces.

She reached underneath the counter, pulling out a nine millimeter that she kept there for emergencies. She glanced at the cold steel in her hand, a feeling that was once familiar. As she cocked it back, the feeling in the bottom of her stomach brought a smile to her face. Letty glanced at the smile on her face and went wide eyed. "Guys," she simply said, pointing to Alex.

Leon and Dom froze, staring at her. "Mia, get up," Alex said. Mia pulled herself off the floor, her hand grasping at her face. She pulled it back, staring at the blood on it. Dom had split her lip and her face was beginning to swell up rapidly. As he realized what he had done to his one and only baby sister he dropped his hands, letting go of Leon.

"Mia, I'm so sorry," he whispered, approaching her. Mia flinched, backing up, a feeling that Alex knew all too well. "Stop right there Toretto, take one more step and I'll blow your brains out, all over your precious little sister," she said, motioning to Mia to take a step towards her. Mia walked over to Alex, stepping behind her. "Take a walk Dom, come back when you're cool and sane again," Alex said.

Dom opened his mouth to argue but decided against it when Lex focused the gun on him. He began walking towards the door, expecting Letty to follow. "She's right Dom. This has got to end. You are not the center of our worlds anymore. We need to find ourselves, as well as you," she said.

He nodded softly and exited their fine establishment, and for the next couple of weeks, their lives.


	3. Reunited

**Chapter 3: Reunited**

Vince smiled, letting go of a breath he didn't even know he was holding, tears falling down his face. He watched from the side as the nurses ran different tests on Jesse. He couldn't believe it when they told him that Jesse had finally woken up and that he was asking for Vince.

"I heard every word, V. I missed you too brotha," Jesse said once the nurses had left the room. Vince chuckled to himself, throwing his good arm around Jesse, not squeezing too tight because of his wounds.

They spent the next half hour catching up. Vince told him about how the team had abandoned them even though they weren't wanted anymore and Jesse listened contently to him. They stayed silent for a minute, letting everything sink in for a minute. Out of the corner of his eye, Jess watched as V tried his hardest not to cry.

"V?" Jess asked, never knowing the Old Coyote to cry over anything. "Yeah?" Vince replied. "You okay? I know everything looks pretty shitty right now, but we'll make it together," he said softly. Vince chuckled, loving his young innocence.

"I was so scared that I would die alone Jess. I wake up and I'm in surgery, they knock me out and when I wake up again I'm strapped down to the bed, my arm in a cast and I'm breathing out of tubes. I can't believe they left me there to die by myself," V cried softly. Jesse reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"V, we're gonna get better. Then we'll go down south, kick ass and take names later," Jess said, his crooked smile showing. "Sorry to break it to you, but there's no way in hell that Dom would let himself get caught by us." Vince shrugged to himself and stared straight ahead. "Yeah, we'll see about that. All I need is a computer and we're set. Just you wait and see, bro," he replied.

Vince nodded his head and glanced over at the eager looking kid next to him. Even though Jesse's body was practically immobile right now, Vince saw the wheels turning in the boy's head and wondered what his evil little plan would be.

--

Dom looked around himself. Currently he found himself sitting on a deserted beach somewhere. He was sitting on a blanket that he had found in his trunk. Around him lay several empty bottles of beer and a half drunk bottle of Johnny Walker black label. He nodded softly to himself as he looked out towards the horizon.

--

Leon and Mia lay in bed, fully clothed, staring up at the ceiling. They were currently in Alexis' two floor house, where they had been sharing a room for the last couple of months. Letty was one room down, fast asleep after the big dinner that Mia had prepared, while Alex was off doing God knows what by herself. It happened every night, right after dinner and she would return around two or three in the morning.

"Do you realize that for the past two months, we've lived in her house, worked in her store and we don't know shit about her?" Leon asked in a whisper. "There's something about her that is comforting in a way Leon. She seems harmless," she said. Leon scoffed softly and sighed. "Looks can be deceiving Mia," he replied.

Mia stiffened at his words, the whole in her heart getting bigger as she thought back to that fatal mistake she made not too long ago. "I'm sorry. That was uncal-," he began to say, but she held up a hand. "You're right," Mia said. She got off the bed and began to pull on her shoes. Leon stared after her as she exited the room.

"You coming?"

--

Vince watched as Jesse typed away at his computer, trying to keep up with him. Seconds later, a map showed up on the screen with a small triangle drawn in the middle of it. "Found him. We better get going. We don't know how long he plans on being there," Jesse said, standing up from the computer chair, his body shaking slightly.

Vince grabbed onto the boy's shoulders and led him back to the chair. "Explain," Vince said. Jesse took a deep breath before beginning his explanation. "Well, Le-Le-Leon was scared that someo-one would rob his car, so he-he-he-," Jesse stammered out. V looked at the poor, his scruffy looking face looking soft and tender for once. "Jess, calm down. I know you wanna go see your bro, so take it one step at a time and slow," he said.

Jesse shook his head and took a deep breath. "Leon was scared that someone would rob his car, so he had me put in a GPS tracking system into it. So I used the GPS to track him down. Right now he's in some small ass town in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Mexico, or rather his car is. I know Leon and I know that he wouldn't dump his baby for nothing in the world. So where that yellow piece of crap is so is Leon," Jesse said. Vince nodded along with him.

"So…how fast can we get on the road?"

--

Alex stormed through the front living room door, Leon, Letty and Mia close behind her. The three sat on the couch, facing the pissed off lady in front of them. "You followed me? How dare you?" She yelled at them, pacing the living room floor. "So what did you find? The fact that I actually have friends? A Life?"

Mia felt guilty, since she was the one that suggested it, so she stood up to speak. "Lex, we just wanted to make sure that the company we kept was safe for us. I don't know if you know but we've been through some pretty rough shit over the last couple of weeks," she said. Alex stopped pacing the room and glared at her.

"You wanted to make sure? I know all about you and your gang of thieves. I pretty much googled your asses and there you were. I opened my arms, offered my house and put myself at risk to accommodate you people despite what went on in your past and this is what I get, huh?" She said. "Why didn't you tell us you were from New York or that you raced or that you and your friends ran a garage? You and your friends seem really fun and cool, so why would you want to hide from us?" Letty asked.

"Just like you, my friends and I went through some tough shit. I don't let anyone near my family or anything that we have worked so hard to build like our garage. It's our territory as well as Mexico. So please excuse us if we don't play well with the new kids in the sandbox. And be aware that since they know you're shacking up with me, they will be around more often. They'll get all up in your face and make sure you stay in line," she said, turning and walking up the stairs.

"And why the hell would you guys follow me in Leon's glow in dark car?"

--

Vince pulled up in back of a blue skyline, next to Leon's yellow one, and motioned to Jesse to stay in the car. He groaned. "I always miss the fun parts," he whined, while Vince climbed out of his car and walked up the driveway to the house. He walked up the porch and pressed the doorbell. After a minute, he pressed it again, this time holding it in for longer.

He heard footsteps coming towards the door and placed his hands in his pocket, a sure sign that he was nervous. He heard the locks on the door being undone and took a step back, not quite sure what to expect. When the door opened up, he was found breathless and speechless.

"Can I help you?" Alex asked, attitude clearly shown in her voice. She clad in a white triangle bikini top with white boyshorts on her bottom, her tanned skin contrasting with the white, making her look exotic. Her long hair was loose and curly; reaching past her shoulder blades and her face was framed by a big pair of sunglasses.

She caught Vince looking at her tattoos taking them in. She was surprised he wasn't staring at her almost naked body but what was on it. Alex took a close look at the man in front of her, noticing that he himself had tattoos as well. He dressed in jeans, work boots and black tank top, his hair straight up funky and messy. But above all, what set her off were his insanely blue eyes. It looked like a miniature version of the sea that she had in her backyard.

Alex pushed the glasses up to the top of her head with one hand, and took a swig of the Corona she was holding with the other. "Alright big boy, let me break it down for you. Can. I. Help. You. See? Simple," she said. Vince shook his head slowly and cleared his throat, staring into her bright hazel eyes. "I'm looking for the owner of that skyline," he said pointing to the yellow one.

Lex cocked her head and scowled. "I'm standing right here. What's it to you, Mr. I-drive-a-supped-up-family-car," she said, feeling threatened. It wasn't everyday that strange everyday people showed up on her doorstep, asking about Leon and his crew. "Listen lady, where's Leon? I don't want any trouble, I just brought him his brother," he said, gruffly.

She squinted at the man in front of her, trying to place his face. "You're Vince, right? From the picture?" She asked. He nodded slowly. "And that's Jesse?" She said. Jesse opened the car door and slid out, getting ready to help V if necessary. Lex nodded to him and pushed the door open for them to come in. "Hey Mia! Just a heads up, you should set an extra two plates for dinner tonight," she said as they made their way through the living room. "Why?" Mia asked, coming down the stairs, stopping dead in her tracks when she spotted V.

With one quick move, she flung into Vince's arms, crying, laughing, and talking at the same time. It got worse when she saw Jesse.

"We got company."


	4. One On One

**Chapter 4: One on One**

Couple of weeks later, they were sitting around the living room table, just like told times- minus Dom, plus Alex. Since Mia cooked, the rest played rock-paper-scissor, to see who would do the dishes. This time, Lex was assed out. She picked up the plates while the rest of the guys went into the living room to watch television and catch up.

Lex was bent over the sink, scrubbing a pan, refusing to waste time on soaking it when she heard a soft knock on the kitchen's back door. She glanced over to the living room to make sure all the guys were accounted for before going to see who was at her door. When she opened it, she was glad to find her best friend out there.

"What the hell are you doing back here? You have a key and the front door is open," Alex said, opening the door wider. A 6' foot 1'' inch guy stepped in, barely getting his broad shoulders inside the room before she shut the door. He was clad in khaki shorts and a white v-neck shirt, with white sneakers laced tightly on his feet. He was of Hispanic descent, which was shown clearly with his pierced ears, low crew cut hair, tattoos and piercing gray eyes.

"I just came back here to see what was up. I see another new car in the driveway. When am I gonna meet your new fam?" He asked, a smile playing with the corners of his mouth. "Ha ha very funny, Rick. The last of Mia's team arrived. I couldn't just turn them away from my doorstep," she said getting back to the pot in the sink.

Rick opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water and plopping down in a chair. "You're a sucker, you know that? You fall for any sad story out there," he replied, taking a swig from the bottle of water. Lex glanced at him before slapping the bottle of water out of his hand, sending it into the wall. "Since when do you drink water, you damn alcoholic? And I wasn't a sucker when I took your stupid ass in ten years ago, now was I?" Lex growled, getting face to face with him.

"Alexis, you okay? I thought I heard something," Leon said, from his position in the door way. Alex faced him and smiled sarcastically. "Yeah. I'm fucking peachy." She turned around and got back to damn pot, Leon returning to the living room. "I'm sorry. You know I don't like newcomers, especially ones that are in as much trouble as we are," Rick said, approaching her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"What's our motto, Rick?" She asked. "Live fast, ride faster," he replied, placing a soft kiss on her neck, making her moan. "Remember it, because in the next couple of days, that's all you'll be doing," she said, backing up gently into him. He moaned softly, feeling her ass rub up against him. The rocked that way for a couple of minutes, almost to the point of no return, when they were interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing.

Rick took a step back, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone, just as Mia and the guys walked in. He spoke briefly, answering simply in yes and no. He winked at Alex and smiled. "Live fast, huh?" He said. Alex nodded softly, opening her mouth to finish their famous phrase, but he was stopped short when he grabbed her and gave her a passionate kiss on the mouth. "Ride faster," she said, breathlessly. "Gotta go," he said, ducking out the door.

Mia stared after him and the guys chuckled to themselves. "The damn coward won't finish what he started. Happens every time," Lex said, getting back to the pot. Mia approached her, looking over her shoulder. "You're gonna wear a hole through that pot. Stop being lazy and let it soak for a while," she said, pushing her aside and turning the hot water on.

Alex growled, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She grabbed a Corona from the fridge and walked over to Leon, placing an arm around his shoulder. "I told her domesticating me would be a bitch," she said, burping loudly, rubbing her stomach. The group of guys laughed loudly, and headed out to the beach for a late night swim.

--

Mia and Letty versus Jesse and Leon were playing tag in the dark water. Alex wasn't sure how that worked, but it kept them quiet and entertained for a long period of time. She watched from her position on the porch as she sung softly to herself, nursing a bottle of Corona. Vince appeared from inside the house, captured by her sweet, husky voice and took a seat next to her.

"Aren't you supposed to be on meds? I don't think that a beer will go down well with them," she said, spotting a Corona in his hand. Vince glanced down at his bum arm and scowled. He made his hand into a tight fist, wincing in pain. "I don't think I can take them anymore. As soon as I start popping them it's like I have no control over myself," he said, taking a swig. "So how do you stand the pain? You drink yourself away?" She asked.

"I don't know. I just stopped taking them this afternoon. As soon as the pain began to crawl back I picked up the beers," he said. Alex faced him, concern showing on her face clearly. "Vince, a wound that size is going to be a bitch to put up with. When the pain comes back you'll either kill yourself or pass out. You really need to get back on those meds," she said. He shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Do you know how it feels to be hazy all the time? I take one of those pills and my mind goes blank. If I miss one, I fresk out. I sit there and drool comes out of my mouth, yet I can't even remember what I was thinking about not even two seconds ago. I have no control of my own damn mind or body. I refuse to walk around like some damn zombie and end up getting hooked to them shits," he said, loudly.

Alex nodded softly and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know what's going to be worse,the itch or the pain. Tonight will be the worse night of your life, Mr. Vincent," she said. Vince laughed and faced her. "What happened to Mr. I-drive-a-supped-up-family-car?"

"Oh, you're still that guy, until I get my hands on it," she said. He cocked an eyebrow. "I love my baby. There is no way in hell that I'll be driving anything else than her." Alex stood up from her chair, draining her bottle. She lifted her arms, stretching her body out. "Give it at least two weeks. Then we'll talk," she said, walking inside the house.

Vince stared after her, listening to her humming the song she was singing before. He smiled slightly, looking out at the rest of his team out in the ocean.

--

Alex jumped up in her bed, glancing at the clock on her night table, which blinked back 3:52 AM. She lay in bed for the next thirty minutes, staring up at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come, but to no avail she got up, pulling her hair into a messy bun, deciding to go downstairs to watch some television. As she made her way down the dark hallway clad in a white sports bra and an old pair of red boxers, she willed herself not to stump her toe on any foreign objects that were sure to be lying around. As she reached the end of the hallway, she spotted the light coming in from underneath the guest bedroom door, Vince's room.

Alex glanced around, debating if she should go check in on him. Her nosy self won, as she made her way down the hall and towards his room. After knocking lightly and not getting a response, she turned the knob quietly, poking her head into the room.

She glanced over to the bed and found Vince in a fetal position in the middle of the bed. She tiptoed over to him, finding him in distress. "Vince? You okay?" She asked. He grumbled something incoherently. "It's burning up in here," she said, wiping the sweat off his face wit her hand. She walked over to the room's air conditioner and turned it up all the way, closing the bedroom door.

"Vince, come on, lay flat out on your back," she said, trying to get him to uncurl himself. He nodded and laid out on the bed, grabbing on to his arm. "I warned you. Let go of the damn arm and let's get you out of those sweaty clothes. No wonder you're sweating bullets, all rolled up and shit," she said, tugging on his tank top.

With great difficulty and pain, Alex pulled Vince's tank top off, following his jeans. He lay in front of her clad only in his baby blue boxers. Alex glanced down at the sexy man in front of her, running her eyes from his broad shoulders down to his stomach. She looked away guilty for eyeing him like that and focused on the wall. "This arm is killing me, Lex," he stammered out, grabbing on to his arm. She reached down and pulled his hand off his arm.

With a determined look on her face, she looked at his arm and removed the gauze on it. "It's starting to heal pretty well. You should be on your meds and working on minimal physical therapy by now," she said, running her hands up and down his arm. Vince grabbed on to her wrist and stared intently at her. "No more pills, Alex. I can't take anymore of it," he said, roughly. She nodded slowly, wondering what the hell she had gotten herself in.

"Stay here. I'll be back," she said, exiting the room and returning a couple of minutes later with a small duffel bag in hand. "Just try something with me here. I haven't done this for a while, so go along with me," she muttered, unpacking the bags belongings.

She began lighting various candles around the room and placing various small bottles on the night table. "The muscles in the arm are getting tight so we need to work them out. It going to hurt, but if we do this every so often the pain will lessen," she said, straddling him.

Vince looked up at the woman on top of him and began to feel himself stiffen. "Fuck," he muttered and Alex smiled. "No, not yet, Vince. Relax, will you? It's okay, I won't tell anyone," she said, smiling evilly, pouring the contents of one of the bottles on her hands. After rubbing them together, she winked at him and smiled. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Something new and something that I'm sure you haven't experienced before," she whispered, placing her hands on his shoulder. Alexis began to rub and knead lightly, making her way down to his arm. She picked the arm up slightly and began to bend it, until she thought it was good enough and began to bend it the other way. He grimaced as she worked the kinks out of his arm, but felt the pain relieve slightly. "It doesn't feel as bad," he whispered. She nodded and reached over to the night stand, picking up a small makeup bag that was lying there.

He watched as she picked up the bag and pulled out what looked to be like various needles. "Oh hell no," he said, trying to push her off slightly. She slapped one hand down on his chest, knowing that it would leave a mark. "Shut it. It's just acupuncture. This might take the pain away for a while. It's not guaranteed but you should try it," she said. Vince shook his head and she ignored him, beginning to place the various needles in his arm. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" He asked.

"Yes. Trust me. I used to do this for a living," she answered, placing the last needle in his arm. "Don't move, just breathe and try to relax," she said, pouring another bottle on her hands. "This isn't quite lotion, Vince. It's some sort of gel, but trust me, it'll feel good," she said, rubbing it between her hands. Vince nodded, his eyes closed, not quite caring if it was shit, just as long as the pain went away.

She placed her hands on the lower sides of his neck, and began to knead them softly, working his way down to his chest. Alex looked at the massive man underneath her, wondering what was going through his head, right at that moment. She began kneading his chest, taking her time, not minding the one on one time with him. Alex ran her hands up and down his sides, blowing softly on his pecs. She wondered how his face was so scruffy looking and how his chest was so perfectly molded.

Vince moaned at her soft breath falling on his chest. He could feel the pain in his arm slightly lessening; thanking God secretly that it wasn't peaking like before. "Take a deep breath, Vince, and let it out slowly" she said, an evil smile on her face. He took a deep breath in and when he started to release it, she worked her hands down from the middle of his pecs, past his navel, onto his happy trail and down to his- Vince grabbed her hands with his one good arm and stared at her. "How do you know that the best nerves aren't down there?" She asked, a pout on her face.

"I know exactly where the best nerves are, but I don't think I want you playing with them right now."


	5. Coming Clean

**Chapter 5: Coming Clean**

"He turned me down," Alex stated to Mia and Letty, over breakfast. "Who?" Both girls said in unison, not believing what she had just said. "Vince," she quietly replied. Mia and Letty busted out laughing. "Ewww…you went after Vince," Mia said, grabbing at her aching side. Suddenly, Letty stopped laughing and stared at her. "Vince turned YOU down?" She asked.

Alex nodded slowly and stood. "I would understand turning someone else down, but all of this," she said, motioning to her body, "that's not normal." Mia and Letty nodded along also. "See after all the stories you guys told me about this guy, I never would've thought that he would turn me down. Let alone, when I was half naked and just finished giving him a rub down," she said.

"That is pretty weird for the Old Coyote," Letty said. She crossed her arms over her chest and chuckled to herself. "Do you know what this means?" Lex asked, an evil look on her face. Both the girls looked over at her intently.

"War."

--

Vince, Leon and Jesse sat around the town's local garage, which was owned by Alex, drinking beers. They spent the day working on their cars, chit chatting about nothing at all and almost everything at once.

"So when I got up to use the bathroom last night, I peeped Alex going into your room in the middle of the night. What was all of that about?" Leon asked, handing Vince a Pepsi can. Vince looked up at the man in front of him, a scowl already forming. "I noticed that Mia sleeps in your room now. What's up with that, brotha?" Vince said sarcastically, clearly showing that he wasn't quite over Mia and that he wasn't even quite close to being done with Leon.

"Busted," Jesse said laughing, but quickly shut up with the look Leon was giving him. "I'll be in the store room," he said, exiting the room quickly before things got heavy between the two giants. "V, what me and Mia do isn't--," Leon began to say, but stopped short when Vince put his hand up. "I don't even want to know what you and Mia are doing, okay? Whatever you do or don't do is your business," he said.

"She's changed a lot, V. Yeah, she cooks and cleans and all that other shit, but she drinks, smokes, and curses a whole lot more than Letty. She's like a cross between Lex and Let. That's how she deals with the buster leaving and never coming back to her," Le said, taking a seat besides Vince. "How does that explain what she does in your room every night?" He asked.

"We just hang out and keep each other company. Most of the time all we do is sleep next to each other and go out to dinner or just talk about things," Leon said. "And the other times? She's all up on you, screaming your name isn't she?" He asked, a hint of sadness in his voice. Leon sighed softly and faced his brother. "Vince I am so sorry that things didn't work out for you two. I wish I could do something about it," he said.

Vince shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I'm no use to her anyways with this bum arm," he said, standing up and heading to the garage's exit. "Where you going?" Leon yelled after him. Vince shrugged once again and turned towards him.

"I turned her down. God, I'm an ass," Vince said, with a shit eating grin on his face, as he exited the garage.

--

Mia placed the plates of food on the table andthe team began to dig in, but with one look from her they stopped what they were doing. She cleared her throat, and then took her seat. "Dear God, we sit here today to take in this food that you have provided to nourish ourselves- past, present and future. We ask you to bless us and those around us. Amen," Letty said, softly. The rest of the table looked at each other, shocked. Letty never said grace. Ever. "What?" She asked, a pissed off look on her face. "It was too good to be true," Vince muttered. The whole table burst out laughing, Let included.

"Guys, I have an announcement to make," Lex said, "I would like you guys to accompany me to a night on the town." The guys hollered, while the girls whistled.

"Dress nice. I don't want to be associated with the normal likes of you."

--

Alexis looked at herself in the mirror, giving herself the once-over. She was donned up in a jean miniskirt with a black shirt that left little to the imagination. It stopped two inches below her breasts and was tied at only two places- around her neck and in the back. She left her hair curly, pulling it up into a ponytail, wisps left out to play with her face. She had on 5 inch stilettos, whose strings wrapped up her legs, ending mid calf. Her makeup was simple- black eyeliner, mascara and lip gloss. Alex was sporting her diamond studs, necklace, rings and bracelets. She was planning on turning heads tonight.

She grabbed her cell phone and keys before leaving her room, bumping into Letty and Mia who were already dressed. Mia was dressed in dark jeans and a pink halter top, matching sandals at her feet- the usual Mia get up. Letty was decked out in leather pants and a white see through tank top, clearly showing the black bra underneath. Alex glanced at her two girls and grinned.

"I like."

--

When they approached the bottom of the stairs, the catcalls started. Leon, Vince, and Jesse were making complete fools of themselves for the girls, who were eating it all up. "Awww…guys, you shouldn't have," Letty sarcastically said, punching Jesse playfully in the arm. Mia smiled from ear to ear and Alex blushed to herself. The guys were dressed in their normal attire.

"We'll need to all go in separate cars for this one and I'm going to need you guys to get out of my damn driveway so I can pull out," Alex said, noticing what time it was. It had taken them longer to get ready than she expected.

When they got outside, Mia and Leon got inside the yellow Skyline, while Vince, Letty and Jesse got into the blue Maxima. As they back up out of the driveway, Alex opened the garage door up, revealing her one and only true baby. A dark blue RX-8, which hadn't hit the states yet.

--

Both cars tried their best to keep up with the smaller and faster one, dodging people, running stop signs and turning corners faster then they should. Ten minutes into the drive, they hit desert road, meaning no speed limit, making the normal 15 minute drive into a three minute one.

Vince glanced over at Jesse, who was currently pushing his car to the limit, seeing as Vince was out of commission. "You wanna go a little easy there buddy?" He asked, just as he swerved to miss Leon and his car. Jesse simply shrugged and sped up faster.

--

Alex turned onto a dark road and rolled down her window. As she approached her destination, she heard loud music. She smiled, knowing the party had already gotten started.

--

They pulled in behind her, following her through the massive crowd that had surrounded her car. Jesse oohed and ahhed as he figured it out. "RACES!" He yelled out loudly, as he parked. As Alex got out of her car, he ran up to her throwing his arm around her waist. "You know I love you right?" He said, before being distracted by a half dressed racer skank.

Letty, Leon and Vince crowded around her, amazed at what they were seeing around them. "This is what I've been working on for the last couple of months. I've been putting my heart and soul into this," Lex said, motioning around her.

The racing strip wasn't just any strip. It was large enough to accommodate more than one race at a time. At the far corners there was a small shop that sold cold refreshments and snacks, next to it a small restaurant and next to that an open bar and dance floor.

"You made a business out of racing? Girl, you crazy! Are you trying to attract attention to yourself or what?" Letty said. Alex nodded along and looked around them. "This is Mexico, the same rules don't apply as Cali. As long as your money is evenly spread, you're set," she said, the team catching her drift.

Jesse appeared out of nowhere, a blonde around his waist. "Hey guys, meet my new friend Shana," he said, smiling from ear to ear. "Same old Mad Scientist," Leon said, giving him a slap on the back. "Make yourselves at home guys. Mi casa, es su casa. Race, drink, dance or whatever," Lex said, before walking away.

Letty looked off to the side and spotted him. Her heart stopped and she felt like the young, little girl that had fallen in love the first time she saw him.

--

Vince stood off to the side of the races, watching with a longing in his eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face who had interrupted his solitude- Alexis. She leaned on the car with him, ankles and arms crossed. "Why the long face, Vince?" She asked. He shrugged softly and glanced at her. "I see all of them out there, racing, dancing and just having fun and I'm standing here like a loser with a bum arm," he replied.

Lex turned, facing him, with a serious look on her. "Who the hell told you that you can't race, dance or go crazy because you have one fucked up arm?" She asked. He pointed to his arm and scoffed. "I can't even get dressed by my damn self, let alone drive a car," he said.

She looked around, searching for a specific person in the crowd. "RICK!" She yelled out, spotting the man. He quickly walked over to her. "Set up a race, right now," she said. He nodded and disappeared within the crowd. Seconds later the crowd began to part to make room for the cars.

She grabbed Vince's arm, dragging him towards her car. "What are you doing?" He asked. "The both of us will weigh your car down too much. My car's small size will compensate for it," she said, pushing him into the driver's seat and strapping him down. "I can't drive and shift at the same time," he stated. Alex ran around to the other side of the car and got in, strapping herself in also.

"Who said anything about you shifting?"


	6. The Turn Down

**SkylineO'Connorbabe:** Thanks for everything. I really thought no one was reading my fic. You proved me wrong. Love ya lots. This one is for you.

* * *

**Chapter 6: The Turn Down**

Letty ran her hand softly over Dom's head. "You should talk to Mia, Dom. She misses you a lot. Jesse thinks you're mad at him for what happened," she said. He placed a kiss on top of her head, running his hand up and down his back. "I miss her too. I never meant to hurt her. I was just so stressed with everything and I snapped," he said.

Their conversation was interrupted by the loud noise of accelerated engines. They looked at each other questioningly, as they walked over to the main strip. They watched as Vince drove the RX-8 to the finish line and accelerated the engine. "How does he plan on driving that thing?" Dom asked, a worried look on his face.

--

Vince grabbed on to the steering wheel with his good hand. He leaned forward, checking out the competition. Alex noticed the nervousness rolling off of him in waves. "Relax, that Acura and those two Honda's ain't got shit on us. Just stay focus, drive and I'll do the rest," she whispered, running a hand through his hair. He glanced over at her, trying to figure her out. Was she trying to damn him or kill him? She winked and motioned to the girl in between the cars, who was about to start the race.

At the drop of her hand, Vince pushed forward, getting abouthalf a carlengths head start. Lex played close attention, shifting up every so often. As the Acura crept up on their ride side, Vince hit the NOS button, sending them lurching faster. Three seconds later, with only one shot of NOS and a bum arm, Vince crossed the finish line first, a shit-eating grin on his face.

--

After pulling a u-turn and heading back towards the crowd, Vince climbed out of the car and walked over to Alex's side, pulling her into a hug with his good arm. "Thanks," he whispered, into her ears. Alex smiled and laughed softly. "You're worth it," she whispered, before disappearing into the crowd.

--

Leon sat on the hood of his car, a disgusted look his face. He watched as Jesse and Dom hugged briefly, while Mia drooled over him. "It'll be okay, brotha. We should've known that he would've flocked back to us," Vince said, leaning on the car next to him. Leon scoffed and turned to face him. "I still have the money from the heists and I'm planning on moving out of Lex's place soon. I can't sit there and look at him without wanting to kill him. The fucker messed up all our lives," Le said. Vince nodded along in agreement.

"I'm with you, brotha. It's just a matter of time before Lex and Dom get at each other. I can tell she can't stand him. The shit will hit the fan soon."

--

As the clock blinked back four in the morning, Alex lifted her heavy feet off the floor, falling back into bed. She was dead tired after a night full of drinking and dancing at the races. She was still donned out in her outfit as she settled in to bed. "Fuck," she muttered, half asleep. The room was stifling hot and the air conditioner was off. "Will somebody come in here and give me a little hand?" She watched as several bodies ran by her open door, ignoring her. "Come back," she pleaded, as doors slammed shut.

She groaned, pulling her tired body off the bed. She untied her heels, taking her a full three minutes to manage through her sleepy haze and removed her skirt, revealing a pair of small black boyshorts. She glanced at the air conditioner across the room and shook her head. "Need some help?" A voice asked, from her doorway.

Vince stepped into the room and turned the air conditioner on high for her. "What I need is some sleep," she muttered falling back into bed. He stood his ground staring at her, fidgeting in his boots. "Something you want?" She asked. "I was wondering if you could… you know," he muttered. Alex sighed and waved her hand around. "Shut the door," she said and then patted the space next to her.

He walked over to her, waiting for her to move over. She opened an eye and stared at him. "This is my side of the bed, so don't even try it," she growled, "and shed the clothes." He sat down on the edge of the bed, making it squeak to accommodate his weight, and removed his shoes, followed by his pants. After some assistance from Lex, his tank tops managed to come off.

He lay beside her, face up, while her back faced him. As he stared up at the ceiling, waiting for whatever was to come, he took in the décor of her room. He expected it to be girly, like Mia's old room or messy like Letty's, but he was taken aback when he took it all in. The room was painted a light gray, with a white border. The bed was a dark wood four post sleigh bed that was centered in the room. It was furnished with many pillows and throws, but overall he felt comfy here. The rest of the room was bare except for some white flowers, black and white pictures on the wall, two nightstands, a dresser and her closet.

"Lex?" He asked, nudging her softly. She groaned and flipped over, facing him. "Just give me a couple. When I'm drunk and bored, I tend to fall asleep," she said into the pillow. Vince ran a hand over her face and placed a single kiss on her lips. "Okay. I'm up," she said, a smile on her face. "You sure know how to work a girl, don't you?" She asked. Vince grinned and shrugged. "I try."

Alex got up and walked over to her dresser, returning with a bottle in hand. Vince watched her ass as she walked, getting turned on by the serious cuppage she had. She climbed onto the bed, this time sitting next to him, not on top and began to work his arm. "Does it hurt less?" She asked, working his fingers. "Yeah. Not a lot though, but it doesn't feel as stiff," he replied.

She nodded and flexed his wrists. "I'm gonna see if I can get you a small moldable ball, so you can work you hands and wrist. We have to keep you moving. You should flex at least once a day, but only until you feel pain, then you should stop right away. You should also start taking long hot baths for your muscles," she said, working her way up and down the arm. By the time she was done, Vince had fallen asleep; a telltale sign was his light snoring. Alex sighed softly and stared at him.

She turned the lights off and crawled into bed, throwing a blanket over both of them. Soon enough she was fast asleep too, her chest snuggled comfortably against Vince's smooth, bare chest.

--

As Mia and Jesse played volleyball out in the sand, Letty and Dom manned the grill, with Leon inside watching television. "Do you think we should wake them up? V gets cranky if he's not fed and Lex is just plain cranky," Jesse asked Mia. She shrugged, serving the ball. "Let them sleep. Lord knows who Vince is shacked up with, considering he won that race last night. Lex is probably still passed out from all that alcohol she took in at the racers, where she sounded dumber than your new girl," she replied.

"Hey! What's wrong with Shana? She was pretty," Jess said, getting defensive. "Yeah, pretty stupid. Home girl could barely spell her own name," she said. He frowned, throwing the ball at her. "Ok, so maybe she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box," he said, "but, I can compensate in areas she lacks."

Mia laughed and threw an arm around him. "Let's go see if Dom and Letty are done. I'm starving."

--

Lex groaned as the sunlight coming in from the window ended the oh so naughty dream she was having, featuring Vince as the lead actor. As she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she felt a warm body beneath her shift. "What the…?" She said, glancing down at Vince underneath her.

"Hey sleeping beauty," he said. She felt the vibrations that came out his chest and smiled softly. "What time is it? I need to put in some wrench time down at the garage," she mumbled, squinting at the clock on her nightstand. Vince threw his good arm around her head, pushing it in his chest, "Stay a little longer," he whispered, nuzzling his face into her hair.

"Vince, you made it pretty clear the other night that you didn't want anything to do with me, so I think it's best if we stop meeting like this," she said, rolling off of him and standing up. He sat up, throwing his feet off the bed. "Wait, so after all of that you're going to just say fuck it and forget about it?" He asked.

Lex faced him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Vince, let's be real with each other. You and I both know that all we are good for is a quick fuck and then we'll part ways. We both have too much emotional baggage and it's best if we just drop it," she said. He shook his head and frowned. "Why? Someone told you about my past or about Mia?" He asked. "Because that doesn't matter, we both know we are feeling something more than lust here, so don't fight it."

She scoffed and began pulling clothes out of her closet. "Vince you know shit about me. I have no idea what I am feeling here, so until then I suggest you stay the fuck away from me," she said, opening her door and motioning to it. He nodded and stood up, gathering his clothes and leaving the room.

--

Alex walked out to the backyard dressed in light low rise jeans, a black wifebeater, and black All-Star Converses at her feet. Her hair was loose in twisted chunks with a beanie on top, while her makeup was simple – heavy black eyeliner and lipgloss.

"Someone looks like death warmed over," Letty whispered to Dom, by the grill, as Lex walked on to the porch. "What time is it?" She asked, yawning. "It's one in the afternoon," Dom said, checking his watch. Lex nodded and headed inside the house, bumping straight into Vince. He grabbed on to her arm softly, dragging her into the living room, oblivious to Leon on the couch.

"What do you want me to do to show you that I want to be with you? That I'm not in it for a hit and run, contrary to popular belief? Huh?" Vince asked, staring into her eyes. She shook her head softly. "It's not you Vince and as cliché as it sounds, it's me," she whispered, before running out of the room.


	7. Happy Birthday

**A/N: **The next couple of chapters will be written to include more characterization. I really want to break out of the mold that the movie has some of the characters in, while expanding more on some of them.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Happy Birthday**

Leon and Mia walked through the empty house, arms around each other. "I know it's not much, but me, you, Jesse and Vince should be able to get accustomed. Me, Jesse and you can have the two bedroom upstairs and we can fix the basement up for Vince," Leon said, as they exited the house and stood on the front porch.

"Why are you doing this Leon?" She asked him, turning and facing him. Leon ran a hand through his short hair and sighed. "I can't put myself in a position where Dom has to hand me everything again. Back in L.A. everything I did depended on him. I need to go out and find something better than hijacking trucks to make ends meet. I need to find myself without Dominic Toretto," he said. Mia nodded in agreement.

"I think you're right Leon. I'm thinking that I'll get a job in town or in the store and I'll maybe start thinking of doing something with myself. I want to go and have a life outside of the team. I want to go out clubbing and drinking with guys and my friends," she said.

They stared around themselves and gazed out at the horizon. "I think this is the best for all of us. A life without the great and mighty Dominic Toretto can't be that bad," he whispered to himself.

--

Mia, Leon, Jesse and Vince sat around the table, staring at Letty and Dom. "So what's this all about?" Dom asked, getting impatient and curious. "Well, the rest of the team and I have come to a decision that will benefit all of us overall," Mia said, motioning to Leon. He cleared his throat and took a swig from the beer bottle he was holding.

"I had the money left over from the heists and I decided to put it toward a house for us, a couple of minutes down the road," he said. Letty smiled and threw her arms around Dom. "Way to go bro, now we can finally have a place to call our own," Dom said, smiling.

"Well that's the thing, brotha," Vince said, placing a sarcastic emphasis on the last word, "we think that since you and Letty are so close and everything, maybe you should get your own place. Let the couples live together, become closer and shit."

Dom slammed his hand down on the table and stood up, startling Letty. "You mean to tell me that after all the shit that I've done for each and every one of you, you're practically telling me to my face that I'm assed out?" He yelled.

He shook his head, clearly fuming at what he was just informed. "Come on, Letty," he said, heading for the door. Letty stood up and followed him. Before she exited the room, she motioned to Mia that she would call her.

--

Alex knelt down by the car in the middle of the garage, placing the last finishing touches on the design that she had just finished hand painting onto a charcoal colored 240SX. The design ran from back to front. Wings spread out from the rear bumper and expanded towards the front, stopping in the middle of the hood. On the back, on top of the wings, Lady Drizzle, was written in script.

She stepped back looking at her handy work and grinning. Deciding to let it dry before applying the top and final coat of paint, she sat back into a couch in the back of the garage. She picked up the paint brush that she had been using on the car, and began to draw different lines on her jeans, up and down her right leg. As the different lines came together, a pattern of ivy crawling up her leg began to take form.

"I see you can still work magic with them hands of yours," a deep voice said. Alex jumped in her seat, dropping the paintbrush on the floor. She looked up at the man in front of her and groaned. "You've been gone so long; I'm surprised to see you can even remember what I can do with my hands," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

A tall man, averaging 6 feet and 2 inches in height, broad shoulders, tanned skin, green eyes and an eyebrow ring flopped down next to her on the couch. She turned and faced him, checking him out from head to toe. His hair was cut into a short Caesar and he was decked out in jean shorts and a muscle tank, clearly showing off his ripped physique. "What do you want?" Lex asked, her voice full of attitude.

"Just dropped by to visit my brother and wife," he said, placing an emphasis on the last word. She scoffed softly and stood up from the couch. "Wife? That title I hold is just a technicality until you finally sign them damn divorce papers," she said. Alex began walking around the garage, cleaning up and putting things back into place.

"Whatever you want to call it, but you're still my wife," he said. "Get out of here, Jay. Find someone else to bug and don't come around here anymore," she said, pointing to the door. Jay stood up from the couch and walked over slowly to her. He grabbed on to her forcefully and kissed her, jamming his tongue down her throat.

She pushed him away, and stared after him as he walked out of the garage.

--

A couple of weeks had passed since the team's chat with Dom and Letty and they were nicely settled each into their own abode. Alex had been MIA for the past week in the team's lives, busying herself with the garage and the store, but had managed to catch up with Mia, Leon and Jesse every once in a while, when they crossed paths at the store or at the garage.

Mia was currently working as a receptionist for the town's lawyer, while Leon kept a dreadful job at the post office. Jesse, whose ADD didn't allow for much except cars, was working as a mechanic at Alex's garage, pulling most of the weight around there. Dom and Letty still lived at the hotel and were living solely off the money from the heists and whatever they made at the races, while Vince was still at home, deciding what to do with himself.

--

Vince brought himself down slowly into the tub full of hot water. As he sat back, he could only imagine what he looked like in a tub full of bubbles. He grinned to himself, thinking that all he needed was a hair cap to be a male version of Mia.

He heard a slight knock on the door and his eyes went wide. "V?" A small voice asked. "Yeah," he responded. "Can we come in?" The voice asked. "Ummm…yeah. No. Come on can't this wait?" He asked. The door opened up and Jesse's small head poked through. "We need to talk to you," he said, opening the door wider. "We?"

Jesse, Mia, and Leon pushed through the door at once and a flash went off. "I'll kill you," Vince growled, staring at Mia holding the camera. "Who knew that the Old Coyote showered, let alone took hot bubble baths," Leon said, taking the camera and snapping some more pictures. Jesse disappeared and came back with a single cupcake in his hand. Leon lit the candle that Mia stuck in the center and handed it to Vince.

"It's not much but happy birthday, brotha," he said, ruffling his hair. "Wait, wait." Mia yelled, approaching Vince. "Here," she said, placing a pink shower cap around his head. "Smile," Jesse said, getting the camera out. Vince placed the cupcake next to his face and put a cheesy, fake smile on. The camera clicked and Vince blew out the candle. "Thanks guys," he said, before devouring the cupcake in one single bite.

"Get dressed, V. It's two in the afternoon. We have a long day ahead of us," Mia said, an evil grin on her face. He shook his head and rolled his eyes, knowing that she wasn't lying.


	8. Shedding

**Chapter 8:** Shedding

Mia had literally forced him to go shopping with her, where she physically forced him to try on clothes and buy two outfits. Jesse and Leon had opted to get him gift certificates, so that he could pick out what he REALLY wanted, and not what Mia thought he should have.

Vince plopped down on the couch, throwing his legs up on the coffee table. He ran his hand up and down his arm, absentmindedly playing with the stitches. Since his arm was getting better, he didn't wear the gauze and it hurt less. He still cringed when he looked in the mirror and saw the damage.

Jesse and Leon soon followed suite, plopping down next to him. "Geez…All those stores for only two outfits," Jesse said, running a hand through his hair. Leon grunted and turned the television on. "Don't let her hear you or she's gonna come in here and start her you-need-more-than-one-good-shirt speech," Vince said.

They sat around for the next couple of hours, watching television, while Mia was in the kitchen cooking. Vince got up to get a beer before dinner and found her arguing with chicken.

"Ummm…is he being disobedient?" He asked, noticing how Mia was staring intently into the oven and quietly cursing it. She faced and slapped her hands down to her sides. "It's been in there for I don't know how long and it's still whiter than your ass," she said, glancing back at the chicken.

"Hey! How do you know what shade my ass is?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you not remember mooning me this afternoon in the store's changing room?" She asked, giggling. Vince grunted, vaguely remembering that incident.

"So what do you have planned for tonight?" She asked, stirring the pot of beans on the stove. "I thought I would go down to the store and get a couple of movies with the gift certificates the guys gave me, get drunk off my ass and pass out. You?" He asked, taking a seat at the table. "Well my version is dinner and a movie, but the guys have a very different version. Theirs mostly has races, alcohol, and skanks involved," she replied.

"I see. How about I meet all of you half way? Dinner, movie, alcohol and racer skanks," he said. Mia nodded and turned the stove off. "Sounds like a plan."

--

After dinner, the guys went down to the movie store and bought the Goodfellas DVD. Vince and Mia lay out on the couch while Jesse and Leon took the floor. After the movie, they all went upstairs to shower and change, which was were Mia and Vince were not seeing eye to eye.

---

"You look like King Kong with all that hair on your face. Let me just trim it a little bit," she said, while Vince ignored her, walking into the bathroom. Seconds later, she flung open the door, clippers in hand. "Vincent Antonio Johnson, either you let me fucking trim that jungle on your face or I will make your life a living hell," she said.

Vince stared at the female in front of him and knew that she wasn't playing. The fact that she never cursed, tipped him off. He knew that she could and probably would make his life hell. She knew that she had the advantage when it came to food versus Vince.

"I think secretly you are trying to mold me into your own little sick puppy," he said, leaning against the bathroom counter and agreeing to whatever she had in mind.

Mia grinned evilly, her master plan already in motion.

--

They pulled up to the races, all stuffed inside Vince's car, for it was roomier. As they got out of the car, various people waved and said their hellos. Most of them guys, staring at Mia's new outfit.

She was wearing a long low riding white skirt, which billowed around her when she walked with a very short halter top that stopped two inches above her navel. She had a big brown belt tied around her waist, with matching sandals at her feet. Her hair was straight and loose and her makeup was flawless.

Leon was clad in his normal attire, just ones that were cleaner and less wrinkled, while Jesse was inspired to try something new. He was dressed in a fresh pair of jeans, black All-Star Converses and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His hair was combed, his black beanie was brand new and he was sporting a fresh coat of black nail polish.

After a long battle, which Mia won of course, Vince's facial hair was trimmed to a reasonable amount and he even let Mia gel and comb his hair. Tonight, on his special night, he was dressed in black slacks and a button down dress shirt that matched the color of his eyes exactly.

Every one looked at them, shocked at their new appearance, even the old faces in the crowd.

--

Alex stood up on the bar's counter, swaying her hips to the music. For the first time, in the last couple of weeks she had felt like her old self. She was clad once again in her tight leather pants, but this time, she was wearing a white tank top so short it could have easily passed as a bra. Her hair was loose and wild, the hot and steamy air from the desert race strip making it stick to her body.

All the guys from the strip began to holler as she and another girl, who was wearing less clothing than her, began to dance with each other. They made suggestive motions and began to take their dancing to another level. Just as they were about to start practically undressing themselves, the DJ switched the song to a slow jam, making the crowd that had formed around them groan. The DJ simply shrugged his shoulders and continued spinning.

Alex jumped off the counter, motioning to the bartender for another shot. When he passed it to her, she slammed it back, relishing the burn in the back of her throat. She exited the bar and made her way through the throng of people at the races, spotting for anything that would keep her preoccupied for a long period of time. As she spotted Mia talking to some guy with a beer bottle in her hand, her heart jumped for joy. "How ya living girl?" She asked, throwing an arm around her.

"Same old thing, just a different day of the week," she replied, throwing an arm around Alex's waist. "You feel like getting into some trouble tonight?" She asked, glancing at her. "Depends on how much I can get away with," Mia replied, grinning from ear to ear.

--

Letty cleared her throat, pushing Dom in Vince's direction. "Hey brotha," he said, slapping him on the back. Vince smiled slightly at his friend and nodded to Letty. "Happy birthday," she said, pulling him into a hug. "Glad to see you came out tonight to enjoy," Dom said. "Trying to look spiffy, eh? I see you trying to take somebody home tonight," Letty said, running her hand up and down Vince's arm.

"This was all Mia. It was either leave the house dressed in this or never leave at all," he said, laughing. "I've been checking for her all night and I can't find her. Leon and Jesse said that they haven't seen her for a while," Dom said, looking around the crowd.

--

As the dark blue car started it's engine and purred to life, the crowd parted before getting run over. Mia rolled her window down and stuck her head out, looking around the crowd. "Do you think I should let one of them know that I'm leaving?" She asked. Lex shrugged, tossing her cell phone to her. "Let them wonder. We'll call when we get there," she said, accelerating her car.

She pulled out of her spot, leaving tread marks in her place and the crowd turned, following them with their eyes. Vince turned towards Dom and shrugged. "I'm guessing they won't be back for a while. Knowing those two, it's probably going to be a long, eventful night."

--

"You've changed a lot," Lex said, shoving what was left of her burrito in her mouth. Currently, they were parked in front of a 24 hour burrito stand, stuffing there faces. "So have you. What happened to live fast, ride faster, huh? We are supposed to be getting into some trouble tonight and we're sitting here eating in your car," Mia said. The other girl scoffed, turning her car on. "First of all, it doesn't get any more dangerous than eating in my clean ass car, and second of all, how do you expect me to go out and get drunk off my ass on an empty stomach?" Lex said, rolling down the window and throwing her empty wrapper out.

Mia nodded and did the same, putting her seat belt on for what was to come. Lex rolled up the windows, turning the air conditioner on, pulling back on to the road. Three minutes into the ride, Mia turned to her, lowering the stereo. "I'm scared that if I go back to the old Mia, some other asshole will come along and take us apart again. I feel like I have to force myself to be the same," she said. Lex glanced between her and the road, trying not to run over any pedestrians. "Mia, the whole thing with the trucks was bound to happen. You guys were just lucky that Brian got there in time to save Vince and give Dom the green light. You did nothing wrong but fall in love and live your life," she said.

"Yeah, but if it wasn't for me, none of this would've happened and nothing would've changed," she said, running her hands through her hair. "Do you think Brian is the only cop in the world that they could've sent after you? If he didn't have the job, some other poor schmuck would. So don't take all the credit for this shit. Brian deserves some of the blame also," Lex replied, pulling the car into a parking lot and shutting it off.

"Now, you **will **go into this club with me and you **will** party your ass off. You **will** get drunk and you **will** pick up a guy. You **will** do everything that the **old** Mia **wouldn't** and **you will love it**. And tomorrow morning, it will be like none of this ever happened. The **old **Mia will be back and you **will** **be** **happy** with it, or **I** will take you apart," she said, climbing out of her car and heading towards the sound of pumping music.

Mia climbed out of the car and smiled at her crazy friend. She glanced around her before running after Alex into the club.


	9. Close Call

**A/N:** This one is a shortie because I wanted to give you the next section of the story all together. The next one is pretty long and you'll understand why I didn't want to break it up.

* * *

**Chapter 9:** Close Call 

It was two in the morning and the race strip was still hot and alive with people. Leon, Vince, Jesse, Letty and Dom were sitting in the restaurant, drinking Coronas. "Guys, I don't think they're coming back anytime soon, we should just pack it up and head home," Letty said, placing her now empty beer bottle on the table. The rest of them nodded in unison and began to stand up, heading towards their cars.

Leon, Vince and Jesse waited until Dom and Letty drove off, before turning to each other to speak. "I'm thinking beers and some skanks. Mia's out of commission with Lex, so they shouldn't be a problem. Jess go spread the word- party at our house," Leon said, a grin on his face. "Dude, with the way Mia's been acting lately, I don't think she'll care, she'll probably join," Vince said, getting into his car.

Ten minutes later, they drove out of the strip, about fifteen or so cars following behind them.

--

Letty grabbed on to the sink, breathing deeply. Her eyes flicked over to the pregnancy test on the counter and she stifled a small cry. She wrapped it up in toilet paper before throwing it in the garbage can and exiting the bathroom. She glanced around the dark hotel room, finding a passed out Dom in bed. She sat down in the chair in the corner of the room, bringing her knees to her chest and stared out the window, contemplating her current situation.

--

As Lex pulled her car up to Mia's house, she could still smell the night's events on her- beer, sweat and sex. Mia opened the passenger's side door and got out, leaning down to speak to her. "Remember, tonight never happened," she said, laughing. "Oh, it didn't? I guess I should go burn these pictures then," Lex said, pulling out a couple of polaroids. "Yeah, we wouldn't want to ruin my reputation," she said, closing the door and heading up the driveway.

Alex pulled out and began to drive towards her house, looking at the pictures that the club owner had given them. She laughed at the silly ones of her and Mia and threw them into her glove box, while cringing at the ones of them and some guys. Minutes later she pulled into her own driveway, opening her garage door with the remote and putting her baby out of site.

She walked inside her house, kicking off her shoes on the way towards the kitchen for a bottle of water. As she tore the cap off, she noticed her answering machine blinking one new message. She hit play, leaning against the wall, rubbing her hurting feet. "Hey Alex, this is Judy down at the police station. There's some guy down here that I've seen in the garage a couple of times. I didn't know if he was your friend or not so I didn't want to book him. He's tall, built like a God and the most beautiful pair of blue eyes in the world. I wouldn't mind if you let him spend an overnighter here with me," the female voice on the phone said, before hanging up.

Lex laughed to herself, wondering who the hell she was talking about. As she made her way to her skyline that was parked in the street, it hit her- Vince.

--

"I pulled his wallet and was about to pull his name up in the computer, when I remembered seeing him in the garage once or twice and decided that maybe he rolled with you and didn't need anymore heat on his ass," Judy said in spanish, passing her Vince's license and wallet. Judy, a short, chubby Mexican woman, was one of the police officers on her payroll. Alex pocketed both of the items and motioned for Judy to take her to him. She took Lex to the holding cell in the other room and approached the bars. "Vincent A. Johnson," she yelled out, motioning for him to step forward, while unlocking the cell door. The other detainees groaned as he stood up and stepped forward.

Lex looked at Vince from head to toe, who looked like death run over. His hair was all messed up; his shirt was untucked andbuttoned up wrong, while his walk was staggered. "Let me guess…Drunk driving?" Lex asked, grabbing him by the arm roughly and dragging him towards the door. "You got it. Car's in the pound, you can pick it up tomorrow if you want," Judy said, heading for her desk. Alex glanced back to her friend, glad that she was there to pick him up. "Thanks," she said, waving bye. "Feel free to send him back anytime," Judy said laughing, checking Vince's ass out as they headed out the door.


	10. Not Vince or V but Vincent

**Chapter 10:** Not Vince or V but Vincent

"What the hell were you thinking? She was two seconds away from typing your name into that computer and letting every freaking cop in Cali know where the hell you were," Lex yelled, pushing Vince up against the car, slapping him across the face. The swift slap cut through the morning air, as the sun was rising in the horizon, and so did his fist with her face. She fell to the ground, grabbing her face. He blinked rapidly, realizing what he had just done. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, reaching down for her.

Lex brought her boot up to his face, kicking with enough force to crush bones, which she did. Vince glanced down at the blood pouring down his face and tried to stop the flow coming from his nose. "I deserved that," he muttered, holding his head back. Alex took advantage of the opportunity and stood up, bringing her fist into Vince's jaw. Soon after that, he was sporting a split lip.

She stared at him, her face already swelling up, wondering if he was going to hit back. He wiped his lip on the arm of his sleeve, the blood glinting in the light. "Are we done here?" He asked, leaning against the car. She nodded slowly, even though the adrenaline rushing through her body was pushing her to continue, she dropped the matter.

As she made her way to the driver's side of the car, she could feel the tears coming and she knew there was no stopping them. Lex climbed into the car, barely letting Vince get his body inside, before pulling off. The ride to her house was full of silence and when she pulled into her driveway, she could barely see through all the tears that were falling down her face. She turned the car off and jumped out, walking briskly towards the house. She threw the front door open and stood at the foot of the stairs, removing her boots.

When she turned around to close her front door and make sure Vince was inside the house, she found him standing behind her, the front door already closed. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice laced with tears. She glanced up at him, a sob escaping from her within. He wrapped her arms around her, bringing their bodies together. Vince ran a hand through her hair, taking her sweet scent in. She placed her head on his shoulder and cried softly. His hand found the small of her back and began to rub it softly.

Vince placed a finger underneath her chin, making her look up at him. He placed a soft kiss on her lips, which she returned graciously. She pushed her tongue harder into his mouth, throwing her arms around his neck and pushing herself more into him. Vince grabbed on to her ass with his good hand and pushed his waist into her, his need clearly showing.

He moaned as she grinded harder into him, sucking harder on his tongue. His other hand was kneading her breast through the flimsy material she was wearing. When she felt his fingers touch her spot, she pulled away, both of them breathing heavily.

Alex wiped her mouth off slowly and turned, making her way towards the kitchen. "Why do you push me away?" He asked, following her. She stood in front of the fridge, peering into the freezer's darkness, like as if the answer was in there. "What do you want from me, Vince?" She asked, slamming the door shut, returning the kitchen to darkness.

They stood in the dark kitchen in total silence, both battling inner demons. "You know we can't give each other what we want," she whispered, taking a seat at the kitchen table. She watched him through the darkness as he began to unbutton his shirt and place it on the chair, flexing his bad arm out, slowly.

He walked over to her, facing her naked from the waist up. Vince held out a hand and cocked an eyebrow. Lex couldn't help but notice how low his pants were sitting on his waist or how close she was to throwing him on the kitchen table and fucking him. She placed her hand in his, and let herself be lead through the house.

When she noticed that he was heading for the stairs she stopped. Vince turned around and looked at her. She glanced around her, her face clearly showing that she was nervous. "Vince, if I go up those stairs with you, I'll do something that I'm going to regret," Alex whispered. He quickly let go of her hand, dropping his arms to his side. She could see the hurt look on his face and cringed. "I didn't mean it like that," she said, as he turned away from her.

"Vince, stop," she pleaded, following him into the kitchen. He continued walking and didn't stop until she was in front of him, pushing him to stop. "There are so many things going on at once and my head is like spinning. I don't know how to make you understand exactly what I'm going through. I'm scared because I don't know you and right now I don't even know myself," she said, tears slipping out of her eyes. Vince leaned against the kitchen counter and crossed his arms over his chest.

Alex dropped into a kitchen chair and threw her head in her hands. "I have so many flaws and issues Vince that it scares me to death," she said. He walked over to her, taking a seat by her side. "How do I put this into terms that you'll understand?...Let me see…I'm stubborn and too protective like Dom, crazy and bitchy like Letty, too jumpy like Jesse, too pensive like Leon, familiar like Mia and above all…I'm lost like you," she whispered.

Vince scowled, while his eyes searched her face for more of an explanation. "Is this some sort of PMS thing I have to discuss with Mia?" He said, his lip turning upward, trying to smile. Lex sighed softly, throwing her hands in the air. "I was just kidding, you know? If you need more time I'm all for it," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Time isn't the problem, Vince. Answers and closure are," she said, standing up from her seat and opening the door leading to the backyard. She leaned against it, her eyes searching the horizon. For the next few moments, all that could be heard in the house was the sound of the waves crashing into the shore.

"I've known the team since the third grade. My mother was a crack addict and my father was an alcoholic. Growing up I went through so much shit. Between the physical and verbal abuse, I was losing my mind. Dom's father took me in one day when he finally got on to what was going on with me. He noticed that my tough exterior was just a way to get people to leave me alone. My parents would make me steal things- anything and everything that they could turn into money to get drugs and alcohol. One day I got caught by the police and had to do some time in juvie. When I came home at the end of my sentence, they were gone. Just up and left me, like as if nothing," he said, softly.

Alex began to turn around slowly to face him. "Don't turn around, don't watch me," he whispered, his voice laced with tears. She nodded slowly, resuming her position against the doorframe. "I had been living in the Toretto house for a couple of weeks and I went home to pick up some things I needed and found them. They were …dead. My father had beat my mother with a table lamp during his drunken rage and then…he...he… shot himself in the mouth," he cried out.

Alex stared out to the water, tears streaming down her face. "I like you because you didn't just write me off as some thug or a racer. You don't want me for my car or because I know the great and mighty Domenic Toretto. I'm scared that I'm going to die alone or that I'm going to die with someone who doesn't love me for the real me, because the one girl that I've ever tried to be real with was Mia and she chose the buster over me," he said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into the chair.

"I don't want to die being known as Dom's shadow or the Old Coyote. I want to die being known as Vince. I want to be found," he said. Lex turned around and smiled softly at him. She glanced at his tear stricken face and felt her heart flutter.

"Vince no one here knows that or anything else about you. They know what you want and let them know. You can be Vince the freaking king of Spain and nobody will dare challenge you on that, just as long as you believe that you are the king. So if you want to go and make a name for yourself on the streets whether it be with racing or with stripping for all I care, do it. But make sure that it's what you want to do," she said.

He stood up quickly, pulling her into a tight hug. Vince placed his face in the crook of her neck and wound his fingers through her hair. "I don't care how long or what it takes to make you mine, but one day I will," he whispered, placing a kiss on her neck.

They pulled apart and stared intently at each other. "Now you know me, Alex. There's nothing that I've hidden from you and now you know me. Not Vince or V but Vincent."


	11. Regrets

**A/N**: Sorry it took so long to update, but the chapters I had written in advance "magically" disappeared but secretly I think my roommate was in my room again. So I had to recreate the next two chapters from memory.

This chapter was written to bring together the history that Mia and Vince have and to show why they are so important to each other. Thanks to all those that have read this story so far and thanks for sticking it out with me. Please read and review!

* * *

**Chapter 11**: Regrets

Vince threw himself on the bed, closing his eyes in frustration. The night hadn't gone as planned. In his eyes, it had turned to shit all before him. He got drunk, got arrested, got into a fight and relived his entire life in a mere 12 hours. He had received no play from Lex, but he knew deep down that it would take more than that to stop him.

As he felt himself begin to doze off, he heard footsteps approach his room. He cracked one eye open and found Mia at the foot of his bed. "I noticed you came home a tad upset V. Want to talk about it?" She said, sitting down and making herself comfortable. He simply scoffed and proceeded to burrow himself deeper into the bed.

Mia glanced at him, mad at his rudeness. "Look Vince, I know we've had our differences in the past but-," was all that she got out before he sprung up in bed. "Listen here, Mia. We've had more than our share of differences, if you catch my drift, so I suggest you pack up your fucking pity wagon and head on home, because I don't want to fucking hear it," he scowled at her.

She glanced at him again and nodded slowly. Vince felt something burning in the bottom of his chest and tears sprung to his eyes as he watched Mia get up and leave the room quietly. It was regret. The slow, burning feeling of regret, rising in his body, gnawing away at his insides, was enough to drive a man to drink. Which was what he usually did.

He fell back into the bed, throwing an arm over his eyes and taking in a deep breath. It was times like these that made him revert into a bastard- treating everyone around him like they had leprosy. He knew the damage he could cause with his words, let alone his body. His only out was to stay holed up, in bed or drunk in some bar where few had the balls to approach him. His life and its consequences had turned him into the hardened bastard that everyone had to deal with on a day to day basis.

--

_It was six months after Dom had been sent away to Lompoc and the team was struggling to stay alive. Vince had shed his hard core exterior and put himself to the test- the team was his responsibility now and he couldn't fail them._

_Mia, Letty, Leon, Vince and Jesse were burning their candles at both ends. Between the store and the garage, there was no time to bond or even let alone time to live their own lives. With Dom's absence, the garage and store were short on hands and the racing scene wasn't pulling in money like it used to. _

_After deciding that they all needed a night on the town and far away from the Toretto household, Letty, Leon and Jesse climbed into Letty's car and sped off towards a distant nightclub in the city, leaving a ticked off Vince at home with Mia._

_He stood at the foot of the stairs, slipping into a tank top and pacing. "MIA! Come on. You've put on three different outfits so far. Pick one and hurry up. The team is waiting for us," he yelled up the stairs, leaning against the railing._

_Seconds later, he heard footsteps and he sighed. His was full of relief at the thought of being able to leave the house finally, but it his expression went blank when he turned around and caught sight of her. _

_Mia was walking down the stairs clad in a matching white lace bra and panty set. Her feet were bare and her hair was wild. "Mia, what are you doing?" _

_Vince took a step back, staring at her, not believing his eyes. She walked over to him, an innocent look on her face. As she approached him he kept taking steps back, until landing on the couch. Pretty soon after that, she was straddling him, her hands in his hair._

_She kissed him and Vince instantly knew why. Her mouth tasted like she had recently brushed her teeth, but he was a seasoned drinker- behind the minty taste he recognized the familiar taste of whiskey._

_He sighed, realizing that that was the only way to get Mia to ever want to be with him- drunk and depressed. "Stop," he mumbled against her lips as she ran her hands up and down his arms. Mia quickly grabbed on to his face with her hands and sucked on his ear lobe._

_He groaned, knowing that what was happening was wrong. She placed his hands on her hips and began to grind against him. Vince moaned into her neck knowing that he was close to going over the edge- she could see it in his eyes. He kissed her, capturing her sweet, soft lips with his own, their tongues dancing softly together._

_"Show me I'm not alone, Vince. Show me how you're the man of my dreams," she whispered into his ear, removing her bra. Vince stared at the perfect buds in front of him and trembled. It amazed him how nervous she was able to make it. If it was any other girl, he would've been had her on her back and turned out already but not Mia. His Mia was special. _

_She ran her hands up her sides, landing on her breasts, playing with herself. "You know you want me, Vince. Show me that you deserve a chance," she moaned._

_And he showed her alright. He showed her in so many different ways. Vince knew it was wrong taking her in the state she was in, but deep inside, he hoped that she chose him over Leon or Jesse because she actually felt something for him._

_That night, as Vince looked down at Mia in his bed, he wondered how he deserved a girl like her. "Vince?" She asked softly, turning to face him. He looked at her, heavy lidded, the passion clearly shown in his eyes. "You think we're going to be alright?" She asked, a tear streaming down her face._

_Vince nodded softly, placing a sweet kiss on her forehead. "I promise you that I'll do everything and anything I can to protect you," he said, wrapping his arms around her. Although they slept the rest of the night like that, the next morning she was gone. Her only remainders were the scratch marks on Vince's back and torso and the sweet scent of vanilla on his pillow. _

_As Vince got out of the bed to head to the shower, he spotted something on the middle of his bed. _

_Blood._

--

From that day on, Mia acted like that night never happened, while Vince was slowly dying off. He spent his nights trying to erase the sweet nothings she whispered into his ears, while she kept the secret that Vince was her first lover to herself.


	12. Thinking

**A/N**: Thanks to **SweetCherryLove**- I'm happy to see that someone is actually reading the story and above all enjoying it. Love yah hun!

* * *

**Chapter** **12**: Thinking

Letty threw the wrench on the floor, crying victory against the car in front of her. "That's what Jesse? The third car I've finished today?" She asked, a shit eating grin on her face.

Jesse scowled and continued typing away at his computer, mumbling something about Letty being a show off underneath his breath. She walked over to Mia and Alex who were talking over a magazine.

"How does it feel to be working in a garage again?" Mia asked as the girl made her way over to them. "It feels great chica. Poor Leon stuck at that post office, shipping and unloading shit," she said, shaking her head softly.

"Well he wanted a break from fast cars and the fast life," Mia said. "The only one that didn't hesitate to do whatever was necessary was Jesse. God that kid is my fucking idol," Letty said. Alex nodded along with Letty and glanced at the kid. "That's why out of all of us, he's going to make something out of himself. Just you wait and see," Alex said.

The three girls nodded in unison and stared at Jesse, who felt the three set of eyes boring holes into him. "WHAT!" He yelled loudly, throwing his hands in the air.

The girls giggled, enjoying his frustration.

--

It was four in the afternoon, when Dom got out of bed, wondering where the hell Letty was with his food. A couple of minutes later, it all came back to him. The fight. Her leaving. Days passing by. Alone.

As he walked to the bathroom, the thought of food made his stomach churn- last night's drunken rage not agreeing with him. Dom ran to the bathroom garbage can, willing himself not to throw up, when something caught his eye at the bottom of the can.

A pregnancy test.

--

Leon wiped the sweat off his face after placing the last box in the shipping truck. As he went to close the truck's door, a hand reached up and helped him. "Glad to see you found your way up this morning," Leon said, recognizing the hand.

Vince chuckled to himself and sighed. "The old Mia's back. She was vacuuming in my room and wouldn't turn it off. Her ultimatum was either get up or die," he said, locking the door.

The two friends sat on the rail of the back of the truck quietly. "Is this it for us? Loading trucks and sticking stamps on shit to make ends meet in a shit hole town where no one knows us?" Leon said, popping a toothpick into his mouth.

"Not if I have my way brother. This is a fresh beginning for us without having to worry about anything," Vince replied. Leon looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. "Spill it," he said, knowing Vince was up to something.

"I'm still working out the kinks and shit, but I want to open up my own garage and I so happen to know someone who has a for sale sign on theirs," he said. "Alex?" Vince nodded. "Mia told me about it and I want in, Le," he said.

Leon saw the determination in his friend's eyes and patted him on the back. "God help those who say no to you."

--

Lex glanced up as Jesse entered the garage's small makeshift office. She was currently looking through some papers on her desk and went back to them quickly. "What's up?" She asked as he headed to the mini-fridge for a drink.

"Nada, just tired," he replied, sitting on the chair next to her. "Maybe you should take a day or two off. You're over-working yourself considering your physical status a couple of months ago," she said. When she received no answer, she knew Jesse wasn't listening to her.

She glanced up at him and found him reading off of a paper on her desk. "You're selling the garage?" He asked, jumping up from the chair and picking the paper up. She could see he was clearly upset and understood why. His life had come tumbling down in a few hours and just when things were starting to get back to normal- she was fucking it up.

"You're abandoning me too?" He asked, a tear slipping down his face.

Letty looked up from the car she was working on, alarmed at the commotion that was going on. Lex held her hand up, motioning to her that it was all under control before closing the office's door.

"Jesse, I would never abandon you. You are like the little brother I never had and I would rather die than see you hurt," she said.

"So what's this?" He asked, throwing the paper at her. Lex ignored him and walked over to a filing cabinet, pulling it open and retrieving a rolled up piece of paper.

"Take a look at this," Lex said, unrolling the paper to reveal blueprints and handing them to him. "It's a small, broken down hotel not far from here. I plan to open up the rooms to fit cars and open the second floor to make lifts, doubling the amount of cars we can have in the garage. Maybe a small spray booth in the back," she said.

Jesse stared at he blueprints, his eyes growing wide by the second. "With the spare rooms maybe a storage area for parts and an office or entertainment area for the crew," he mumbled, ideas already turning in his head.

"You missed one room," she said, pointing to a room in a far corer. Jesse lit up as he realized what it was- a room specially built for him.

"What's this Alex?" He asked, jumping up ad down. "It's a room I plan to equip for you with a new computer and software for your designs," she said.

Jesse jumped up, throwing his arms around her. Alex smiled happy at the thought of doing something good for once.

--

As they sat down to dinner, Mia noticed how much her family had changed. As the plates of food were passed around, she pictured everything as it should have been.

They would be sitting out back in the yard. Dom at the head of the table, his girls at his side. Leon would be to the side, chewing on a toothpick and Jesse itching to get to the food. Vince would come stomping from inside the house, an arm full of beer and a mouth full of curses.

He would hand them out, Jesse would grab at the food and say grace after a quick reprimand from Dom. The team would eat and catch up, then follow that with a movie- something usually action filled or violence stuffed. The testosterone outnumbered the ovaries in the house. Mia would always lose the vote.

Jesse and Leon would head off to the video store, leaving Vince and Letty to challenge each other in _Need for Speed_. Mia would read a magazine or book on the couch, while Dom would sit back and take in the view of his family.

_How times have changed_, Mia thought to herself, everything coming back into focus. The house was cramped, everyone was bitchy and Dom was M.I.A.. She knew her brother had to deal with life, but he didn't have to outcast his family and hole himself up in a hotel room.

She glanced at Leon, Letty, Vince and Jesse, who had given up everything in an instant. She admired their love for their makeshift family and knew that if things took a turn for the worse they would have each other's backs- with or without Dom. She knew that if and when things got tough, she wouldn't give up on any of them because they were her one and only family.


	13. Cringing

**Chapter 13: **Cringing

"Vince," she whispered softly. "Yeah," he mumbled, rolled up in his sheets. "Can I come in?" She asked. "Do you have to?"

Mia rolled her eyes and entered the room. She made him out in the faint moonlight coming in through the window and smiled. He was sleeping naked like always, and she was getting an awesome view.

She compared him to the last and first time she saw him naked and almost melted. His muscles more defined. She ran her eyes up his toned thighs and silently cursed when the sheet blocked her view.

Mia wondered if his stroke was still profound and strong as it used to be and cringed. "Can we talk?" She asked. He mumbled something incoherent against his pillow and sighed when he felt the bed shift to accommodate her weight.

"You seem like you have a lot on your mind," she whispered. "Don't fucking start Mia," he warned her. "NO! We will fucking talk about this Vince. It's been what? Three years and you're still stuck in this depressed fucked up mood, Vince. Where's the guy that was here three years ago? The one that was so carefree and fun to be around?" She said.

Vince flipped over and glared at her. "I'm trying as best as I fucking can. I'm sorry if I don't meet your fucking requirements. And I know you're not fucking talking. Where's the girl that told me she loved me that night or the girl that told me that would-" snarled at her, stopping mid-sentence, his throat closing up on him.

Mia was always a sore topic with him and no one ever understood why. That night had stayed between them and it was a mystery to all others how one minute they were best friends and the next day they were trying to kill each other. The things that were said that night was their little secret.

She glanced up at him, noticing the tears in his eyes. "I know I promised you so many things Vince, but I was drunk. I can't say that I regret telling you that I loved you or that I would always be your girl, because it's true. I do love you, but not in the way that you want me to," she whispered, nervously ironing out her skirt with her hands.

Vince's heart skipped a beat at the words she was saying. "It still hurts," he whispered. They looked up in unison and stared into each other's eyes. "Why did you let me do that to you? You deserved better," he said.

"Why do you make yourself out to be the worst guy in the world? There's nothing wrong with you. Who wouldn't mind a good looking guy like you? That gets jealous when some guy even says your name or a guy that makes you feel beautiful 24/7," she said.

"You," he whispered. And for that moment, it was like the world stopped spinning. The room turned silent and they stared at each other, like as if they could see the answers to their many questions in each other's eyes.

Vince sat up in bed and sighed softly. _I love you but my heart right now belongs to the buster. Any other time or place and I wouldn't have to think twice about us_, Mia thought to herself. "Find something new Vince. Someone that isn't a skank or a racer chaser and definitely someone that isn't all you know like me. Experience life," she whispered.

He ran a hand through his hair and took in a deep breath. "What if I don't want to?" He asked. Vince grabbed Mia and kissed her softly. His tender kiss leaving her breathless and flushed.

Mia looked up at him, her eyes wide and her lips swollen.

"What if you lose her forever?"

--

Dom paced outside of the front door, his hands deep inside his pockets. Footsteps approached the door and he heard the locks unclick.

His breath caught when Letty opened the door. It was all planned with a little help from Mia. They were all alone in the house.

"Hey," he whispered, shrugging his shoulders. Letty crossed her arms over her chest and cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm ready, Letty. I'll get a job, a house and I'll clean up. I promise," he said. Letty embraced him, glad that he came around on his own, while Dom cringed inside.

He knew that the only reason he came to her was because of the baby she was carrying.


	14. Drinks Are On Me

**Chapter 14: **Drinks Are On Me

Vince stood in front of the door, pacing softly. The night was crisp and clear. He showered and combed his hair. Everything was perfect, but something was holding him back. Something kept him from pressing the doorbell.

He sighed softly, running a hand over his face. "I'm wondering if you plan on ringing the damn door bell or just standing there all night long," a voice said. Vince flipped around, searching for the voice. He came face to face with Alex, who had her arms crossed over her chest and a smug look on her face.

He searched for a smart response but when he came up with none, he simply grunted and cursed. "That's right caveman, one step back for humanity every time you open your mouth," she said slurring her words, pushing past him and heading towards the door.

As her scent hit him, he cocked an eyebrow. "Someone's been busy tonight. Keeping hours at the local bar, I see," he said, walking into the house after her. Lex flopped into the couch, throwing her booted feet on the coffee table and folding her hands on her lap.

"Now tell me Vincent, why are you here tonight? Didn't find any other way to make an ass out of yourself?" She said, staring up at him. Vince sat down on the edge of the coffee table, looking at her. For the first time he noticed how tired she seemed. He saw the worry lines on her face and knew that he wasn't getting the whole story from her.

"I know, Alex. I know all of it. Why didn't you tell me from the beginning?" He said, his face serious. Alex did a double take, not believing her ears. Her mouth went slack, as she tried to come up with an explanation. "Vince," she said, reaching out to him.

He stood up, backing away from her hands and walking towards the other side of the room. "How dare you? I spilled my guts to you and you couldn't even tell me the truth," he yelled at her. She stood up, following him. "Vince, I didn't want to get you mixed up. If he found out about you he would've killed you. I rather not have you then have you dead. He has the court judges in his pocket, so they conveniently lose the divorce petitions," she said.

He flipped around and stared at her, his eyes wide. "You're married?"

--

Letty lay in bed awake. The clock read one in the morning and Dom was sound asleep next to her. She sat up in bed, taking in a deep breath. She ran her hands over her stomach and smiled softly. "Dom," she whispered, nudging him softly. He stirred and flipped over, facing her. "What is it?" He mumbled.

"I'm pregnant." Dom popped an eye open, not expecting her to tell him at a time like that. "What?" He forced himself to say- credibility was key. "I'm guessing that it happened that time in the hot tub," she said.

Dom sat up in bed and wrapped his arms around her, faking a smile. His eyes teared up, but it wasn't out of happiness. It was out of sadness. He was about to bring a life full of lies to the earth with Letty and there was no way around it.

--

"You didn't know?" Lex said. Vince shook his head and sighed. He took a seat on the couch and closed his eyes. "I had a feeling that you were holding something back from me. I didn't know what but I'm glad that I had to find out the hard way then not finding out at all," he said.

Lex sat down next to him and took one of his hands in her own. "Sorry if I'm a sap and shit, I blame it on the alcohol, but I didn't want you to get hurt, Vince. I made a life of my own here in Mexico and this asshole is just running around looking for ways to fuck it up," she said.

Vince rolled his head over and stared at her. "Start talking. No bullshit," he said. Lex nodded and leaned back into the couch, her hand still wrapped around his. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, her body shuddering at the thought of bringing back old memories to light.

"My mother died giving birth to me, so I was left to be raised by my two older brothers, my father and the streets. He was a big time drug dealer in New York, so I grew up being the cold hearted bitch that my role called for. At the age of 17 he started grooming me to take over the business or to at least have control over some aspects of it. He died a couple of years ago. When he did, I took over. For a while everything was good. That was until my husband stabbed me in the back to get his hands on everything me and my father built from the ground up. I had to flee for me and my daughter's life, ultimately ending up here," she said, motioning with her hand to her surrounding.

"Where's your daughter?" Vince asked. "Dead," she whispered softly, grasping at his hands harder.

--

Mia sat on the edge of the bed, trying to grasp at what was going on. "I think we should stop seeing each other Mia. It isn't healthy to keep doing this," Leon said, crouching down before her. "Healthy? Do you hear what you sound like?" She yelled, standing up from the bed, her arms moving around wildly.

"In the midst of all of this, you still don't see your problem? You are in love with Brian, lust after Vince and you fuck me, Mia. This love triangle shit couldn't even be more fucked up than what it is right now," Leon said, stretching out on the bed.

Mia looked at him, his words striking a nerve. "So what do you expect me to do? Huh?" She asked. Leon scoffed and laughed. "Get a life, Mia. Find Brian and get a life. After that, everything will work out on its own," he said.

She approached him softly. "What about you, Le? I'm sorry I brought you into all of this," she said. "Don't worry about it. I always got your back no matter what. Just got get your man and be happy. Jesse mentioned something about Miami, maybe the buster needed a new tan or something," he said. She wrapped him a hug and left the room, a small smile on her face.

Leon stared after her, a tear rolling down the side of his face. After all the night's that he held her as she cried over the buster, it was time to make things right. His heart broke every time she cried over Brian and then made love to him, but it didn't matter.

By that time, he was already numb. He stood up from the bed and slammed the door shut. Leon walked over to his dresser and pulled a bottle of whiskey from the drawer. "Courage in a bottle," he whispered, before taking a swig.

--

Dom sat on the living room couch, the amber liquid flowing down his throat burning away at all his demons. He threw the now empty bottle on the couch and walked over to coffee table. He stared at the keys on the table top and took in a deep breath. "I can't do this," he said, his words slurring. "I can't have no baby," he said, picking the keys. He stumbled his way to the front door and walked out.

Without looking back.

--

Alex stood up from the couch and paced the room. "So all along I've been making an ass out of myself and you've been married? I thought it was because I wasn't good enough for you or some shit," Vince said.

Lex laughed lightly, running her hands over her face. "You'll never be up to my standards Vincent. Many have tried and all have failed," she said. "Yeah well this is me. As you can tell I'm a very persistent bastard and I don't plan on leaving you alone until I get what I want." She walked over to the bar area and fixed herself a drink, throwing her head back and slamming it down. "You don't think you've had enough to drink tonight?" He asked.

"Vince, did you come down here to regulate my binge dinking or does this visit actually have a purpose?" She asked. Vince nodded, placing his feet on the coffee table. "I came to talk to you about the garage. Heard it was for sale. I'm wondering what I have to do to get into your good graces. Maybe you'll let me buy it," he said.

Lex laughed and motioned for him walk over to her. Vince stood up and approached her. "It's not what Vince, it's who," she said, pouring herself another drink. He nodded, catching her drift. He reached out to pour himself a drink, but she stopped him. Vince looked up at her, a questioning look on his face.

He watched as she pulled off her tank top, facing him clad in a black bra. Alex poured her drink down her bra and all over her chest, while giggling slightly. She glanced at him and cocked an eyebrow. Vince licked his lips and pulled off his tanks, flexing his muscles.

"Drinks are on me."

* * *

**A/N: **Smut is coming up for all those addicts and I am also looking forward to expanding Vince and Alex's relationship to more than just getting down, dirty and bitchy. 


	15. Realizations

**Chapter 15: **Realizations

Vince walked over to her, throwing one arm around her waist, his other entangled in her hand. He burrowed his head in her chest, licking the fiery liquid off her skin. She took a step back, her eyes full of lust. "Do you want to do this, Vince? I mean really do this. Fuck the garage and everything else," she whispered.

He looked at the woman in front of him and smiled slightly. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he said, extending his hand to her. She placed a shaky hand is his and followed him towards the couch. As she began to sit down on the couch, he stopped her. "Let's do this right, Lex," he said, pulling her towards the stairs.

She followed him up the stairs and into her room and she felt like a stranger to the house, but the only thing she did know was how his hands felt on her skin. He pushed her back softly on to the bed and watched how her stomach muscles flexed as she lay back on the bed.

Vince unbuttoned her jeans and slid them softly down her legs, revealing a matching black thong. "See something you like?" Lex asked, a grin on her face. "I see a whole lot of things I like. All except one," he said, reaching for her bra strap. He slid them down and pulled down her bra, revealing a pair of perfect rosebuds staring straight at him. "Someone is happy to see me," he said. Lex scoffed and sat up in the bed.

She grabbed his neck and kissed him, pulling him on to the bed. He lay on top of her, kissing her hard, feeling her naked torso touching his. Lex ran her hands up and down his chest, loving the smooth feel, while enjoying the rough hair that scratched at her face.

The separated, panting, their bodies sticky from sweat and the whiskey that was poured. She stared at him, her face a mix of emotions. "What are you thinking?" He whispered, while palming one of her breasts. "How good that feels and how tomorrow morning you'll probably be gone," she whispered.

He froze and stared at her. "I won't lie to you, Alex. My track record isn't so good. I haven't had a serious girlfriend since the eleventh grade and I do fuck everything in sight, but I can promise you that I'll try. I won't cheat, I won't hit you and I'll try my best not to be a prick- only on special occasions," he said.

Alex leaned over and kissed him softly. He placed his hands on her hips and squeezed lightly. "You're beautiful," he whispered, before standing up. He removed his jeans, standing in front of her in his boxers a slight blush on his face. "Don't be shy Vince," she said, standing in front of him. They came face to face and stared at each other.

"You first," he whispered. Lex laughed. "Yeah, because I'm wearing so much," she said. Lex pulled her thong off and after flicking him with it, she placed it on his head. Vince shed his boxers and handed them to her, covering himself with his hands.

She kissed him on his forehead and smiled. "Put your hands on your hips, puff out your chest and scowl," she said. Vince did as he was told and busted out laughing. "You look hot like that. Just like a real manly man," she said, before grabbing his ass.

"Vince?" She asked. He looked at her, a pleading look on her face. He nodded, before taking her in his arms and falling back on to the bed. They kissed each other passionately, running their hands over each other, experiencing a whole new feeling- completeness.

With one quick move, Vince was inside of her, filling her to her peak. He yanked on her hair softly, making her arch her back. She clawed on his back, making him wince. Vince sped up, bringing them both to ecstasy. She stared at him, panting heavily.

It had been a while for both of them and as a tear ran down her face, a small sigh left his mouth. It was like the world stopped spinning and everything outside of that room ceased to exist. Alex and Vince stared at each other- their chests moving softly, like as if in their own rhythm.

He dropped his head onto the crook of her neck and inhaled her. She listened to his heart beat; wondering if this was all true. "This wasn't what I had planned for tonight," she whispered, a smile on her face. Vince mumbled something incoherent and dug his head deeper into the crook of her neck. "I was coming home drunk to kill myself," she said, flatly.

Vince stiffened at the words that left her mouth and his heart skipped a beat. "Killing yourself isn't the answer to your problems, trust me," he whispered. She shrugged softly, sliding out from underneath him. "Every breath I take I fear that it's my last Vince. He turned my friends and family against me. He killed my daughter and because of him I have to live a very careful life. He's back Vince. He was locked up but he's out. It's only a matter of time before he comes back to finish what he started almost 5 years ago," she said, pacing the room.

He sat up in bed, rubbing a hand over his face and took in a deep breath. "Why do you fear him so much? Call the cops and catch that motherfucker," he said, without thinking, but seconds later he understood what he just said. "Why don't you call the cops?" He asked, an eyebrow raised. Alex turned away from him and sighed. "It's a long story Vince and if you are planning on staying the night, then I suggest you don't ask me to tell you."

--

As a cold wind hit Letty, she turned over in bed, figuring she would find warmth in Dom's body but instead found an empty bed. She glanced around the room frantically, her breath catching in her throat. As she took in the sight around her, she began to panic.

"Relax," she whispered to herself, staring at the disheveled room. The drawers were open and clothes were hanging out. She glanced at the night table and found his cell phone gone. She stood up slowly, running her eyes around the empty room once again. "He went downstairs for a drink of water," she said, walking over to the window.

At that moment, she watched as Dom walked over to his car sitting in the driveway and threw a small duffel bag into the trunk. He glanced at the house one last time before walking over to the driver's side and getting into the car. Letty gasped as she realized what he was doing.

As the car stalled, his hesitation kicking in, Letty ran towards the bedroom door. She dashed down the hallway and made her way towards the stairs. As she hit the fourth step, she yelled out his name, twisting her ankle and tumbling forward.

As she fell, her head met the edge of the step, hitting her on the right side of her forehead. As blood dripped down slowly, she whispered one last word.

"Dom."

The rumble of his engine drowning her out.

--

Mia tapped her hands nervously on her purse. She watched as the line ahead of her got shorter and shorter, ultimately making her next. "Ma'am, this is the last flight out for the day. If you want to make it out to Florida, I suggest you board now," the stewardess said to her.

She nodded nervously and passed her the boarding ticket. Mia looked around herself, blinking back tears. She took a deep breath before boarding the plane.


	16. Questions

**Chapter 16: **Questions

Mia watched as the land beneath the plane came closer and closer, the captain eventually calling for seatbelts and trays back into their normal positions. She felt the butterflies in the bottom of her stomach and knew that she would either pass out or throw up soon. The anticipation was driving her crazy.

In her mind it was either all or nothing. Her heart knew that he loved her, but her head yelled out that he abandoned her. "Answers," she whispered to herself. All she needed were answers to the hundreds of questions that ran through her head daily.

And she needed to find the only man that could answer them- Brian.

--

Leon fell back into the bed, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He willed himself to sleep, but knew it was futile- luck wasn't on his side today. He spent the whole night tossing and turning- the amount of alcohol in his stomach making him tireless. He got off the bed, making his way towards the window. He pulled the curtain apart, letting the hot Mexican sun burst through.

He squinted, glancing at the people that were about already. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and grimaced. "Seven. Jesus, don't you people sleep?" He said, letting the curtain fall back into place, the room drowned in darkness again.

Leon stripped out of his clothes, his body reeking of alcohol. He grabbed a towel off the floor and made his way towards the bathroom. As he climbed into the cold shower, he cursed. The shock of the cold water, mixed with the alcohol was making him sleepy. "Must. Go. To. Work," he mumbled, washing off the soap from his body.

After brushing his teeth and combing his hair, he made his way back to his room. He picked up the dirty uniform he wore yesterday and slipped into it, trying his best to iron it out with his hands. "What I wouldn't do for a good woman," he mumbled, heading out the door.

He stood in the hallway, noticing how oddly quiet it was. _The meds probably have Jesse knocked. V's probably still wrestling with Alex. Dom and Letty are most likely in bed- making up once again, but where's Mia? Went to see the buster? _Leon thought to himself.

He walked over to Mia's doorway and found her room spotless. "Buster it is," he said, heading to Dom and Letty's room. When he found their bedroom door ajar, he raised an eyebrow. When he found the bedroom empty, his eyes shifted. "Something's wrong," he said, walking towards Jesse's room, where he found him sleeping like a baby.

Leon jetted towards the stairs, but before he took the first step, his stomach did flip-flops. The faint smell of blood hung in the air and the lifeless body at the foot of the stairs didn't stir. "Letty," he whispered, running down the stairs to her side.

Letty's body was now pale and cold, the blood pooling on the floor, the deep gash on the side of her face still pumping out blood. "An ambulance," he said, running for the phone, but thought again. "Do they even have those down here?" He said, picking up Letty in his arms.

As he drove to the hospital without thinking, he kept talking to her, whispering sweet nothings, assuring her that everything would be alright, but as the words left his mouth, a shudder ran through his body.

--

Vince glanced over at the sleeping body next to his and sighed softly. He sat up in bed and tugged his pants on, slipping into his shirt soon after. He grabbed his car keys off the night table, along with his cell phone and exited the bedroom.

He made his way down the hallway and towards the stairs, the house in total silence, focusing on the sounds he made. The light scratching sound from his jeans when he took a step. The light thud his boots made when meeting the hardwood floors. His heart beating hard and fast.

He soon stood in front of the front door, his hand on the door knob. Vince turned and stared at the steps. He had asked his questions and she had given him the answers. Everything from then on rested solely on him.

--

Dom shifted into a higher gear, pushing his car to the limit. It was a rental with a fake alias- he didn't want no ties to his prior life. He knew the choices he would have to make wouldn't be easy, but they had to be made.

The famous Dominic Toretto had fucked up and now he had to deal with the consequences. He knew that the only reason why his family was stuck down south was because of him. Because of his big dreams of getting the big pay load- and now he was the big pay load.

He would walk. Turn his back on his family and hopefully they would get a clean start. They could go back to California and start over, forgetting he existed and Letty could have her baby. She could find it a suitable father, one that wasn't a wanted criminal or a failure at everything he touched.

Dom nodded to himself as he hit Mexican desert. In his eyes, it was the only way. Get lost, get out of town, and get a new life. It seemed so simple, but his heart pleaded no. That he should turn around and head on back to his family, they had been through enough hell, but his head screamed yes. Save them the burden of having to put up with him.

"Give my child a future or a burden?"

--

Leon waited in the lobby of the small hospital, the nurses glancing at the man nervously. Even though the hospital was air conditioned, he was sweating bullets through his uniform. It all seemed wrong.

Dom wasn't home. He never left Letty's side at night. Even if they had a fight, he would always sleep with her. It was their thing. Never spend a night apart. But he was gone. Leon kept calling his cell phone but kept getting his voicemail.

Mia's was out of range, while Vince's was off. Leon felt cold and lonely, lost without someone to guide him. Usually Mia would step in and organize everything, comforting everyone with her sense of preparedness, while Vince would be putting everyone at easy with his silly jokes and crazy comments. Jesse would put everyone on edge with his nerves, Letty trying to calm him down, while Dom would just sit and be quiet.

Leon never knew how to act in situations like these. He knew how it looked. Man beats on woman. It was the story of his life. He lived it almost weekly with his mother. He was used to the scared stares from nurses and the accusing ones from the doctors. It's why hospital's made him nervous.

His father was a raging alcoholic who beat on his mother, leaving Leon to clean up his mess. He would regularly bring his mother to the hospital to get her cleaned up when he couldn't do it and it was where she died.

The last time Leon saw his mother, he was staring through a hospital room window. The doctors were currently trying to extract a knife that his father had put through her chest. She died that day on the exam table- staring straight at her son.

"Why?" Leon whispered to himself, staring at the clock on the wall. He never knew Dom to be violent, maybe a little aggressive but never towards Letty, but he thought back to the Linder incident and cringed. A moment of weakness made Dom almost kill someone, what if he had killed Letty?

What if?

--

Mia took her change from the taxi driver's extended hand and smiled at him. She exited the cab and crossed the street. She pulled a piece of paper from her pocket and read off of it, reciting the address that was on it. Upon finding the address on a building she walked towards it, a smile on her face.

It was a garage, a big one, and at the far end she could see a group of people sitting around on lounge chairs. As she made her way over, her smile began to fade. She thought that when she saw him, the world would stop on account of her happiness, but instead everything slowed down to accommodate her shock and above all sadness.

On one of the lounge chairs, she found Brian- a tanned, long legged girl in his lap, placing kisses on his bare chest. Mia froze, seeing the love of her life kiss her back and laugh lightly.

As her eyes watered at the scene playing out in front of her, Brian looked up, feeling that someone was watching him. He froze when his eyes fell upon her and gulped. Mia turned and began to walk away.

Her questions had been answered.


	17. Needs

**Chapter 17: **Needs

Jesse glanced at the clock on the night table and groaned. He was late. Lex would have his ass. He wondered why Mia or Leon didn't wake him, like they usually did before they left to work. Jess shrugged, climbing out the bed.

He found himself in front of the mirror, clad in only a pair of basketball shorts. His usual small smile faded as he took a good look at himself in the mirror. He spent years trying to live up to the perfect images that the rest of the team created for themselves. Mia was the perfect, innocent, sweet one. Letty was the sexy, bitchy tom boy. Dom was the all American sweetheart in his eyes; Leon was the athletic jock, while Vince was the bad boy.

It all sounded like a bad high school movie to him, but in the ended he knew he only fit in one category- the nerd. Jesse looked at his small, lanky body and sighed. It was lined with faint scars from the years of abuse that he had suffered. His life hadn't been and wasn't easy.

He felt cold and lonely on the inside. His father was away, his mother gone. Any existence of a family was too far away for him. He only had the team and since they accepted him as the small, innocent nerd, he didn't bother to try to shift out of the mold he was smashed into.

"I need a girl."

--

Mia didn't run. In her heart, she wasn't a coward, she didn't flee. She didn't turn her back on him and go out and get another man. A fuck, maybe- but she didn't replace him permanently. She stayed. She stayed through it all. She fought and lived. He didn't follow her as she crossed the street and began the twenty block walk back to hotel.

But he did sit in his car that night, outside of her hotel. And when she left the hotel and got into the cab, he followed her. When the cab stopped in front of a local club, he parked. When she entered the club, he followed.

And there she was. Standing at the bar, a shot of whiskey in hand. As she downed the shot, he found himself tracing the outline of her collarbones, licking his lips subconsciously.

She sensed his eyes on her- but something was missing. As Brian came face to face with her, he realized that his Mia had changed; it was clearly shown in her eyes. The tender Mia that he had left was now replaced with an angry Mia. Her eyes shown with such fury, but her body still held her beautiful grace.

"What do you want O' Connor?" She spat out, motioning to the bartender for another round. "We need to talk," he whispered, his hand reaching for hers. She held up a hand in protest and scoffed. The bartender passed her the shot and she smiled at Brian.

"Seems to me that you already have someone else to talk to," she said, her eyebrow cocked, a move that she had seen Letty do many times before. "I love you," he whispered, shocking her.

She brought the drink to her lips, but thought better of it, and threw it at his face. Mia licked her lips and snarled at him. "You loved me so much you abandoned me, you asshole," she said, before exiting the club.

He followed her, catching up with her one block up. Brian caught her by the arm, forcing her to look at him. Mia yanked her arm out of his grasp and pushed him away. They stared each other down on the corner of the block, people staring at them as they walked by.

"We need to talk, Mia, whether or not you want to," Brian said. Mia shook her shoulders and yawned. "You're boring me O'Connor," she said, before walking away. He blocked her path, their faces within inches of each other.

That's when he took a good look at her. He had hurt her, he understood that. Her whole demeanor had changed. This morning she was the tender Mia he came to love, but tonight he had met a totally different person. She was clad in a tight black corset that offered an ample view of her cleavage and a pair of tight low rise black pants. Her makeup was dark and heavy. "You look like a mini copy of Letty," he said, a soft smile on his face.

Mia glared at him, pissed off. "This is a game to you, isn't it?" She yelled, pushing him out of her way. "No, it's not, it's just that I haven't seen you like this before," he said, running after her.

She spun around fast, bumping into him. "Everything is so clear now," she said, her eyes moving around wildly. "What is?" He said, his hands digging into his pockets. She stepped in closer to him, her mouth next to his ear. "Vince IS and WAS a better fuck, better yet- a better man, than you are and ever will be. Isn't it sad, that the old coyote replaced you and you aren't even being missed?" She said.

Brian looked at her, a hurt look on his face. "So why did you come looking for me?" He whispered. "I just wanted to see what I was missing out on, but I now realize it ain't much," she said, walking away, leaving him staring after her.

She walked away that night, already calculating in her head how long it would take for her to get home. Brian stared after her, vowing that it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other. "I need to fix this," he whispered to himself. And as Mia walked away, she smiled softly to herself.

"I need to get even."

--

Leon paced the hospital room floor, chewing away at his nails- his toothpicks long gone. He was nervous, that's why the toothpicks were there. People just thought it was his thing, but his cool personality was just a front for the nervous wreck that he really was.

"Sir, the doctor will speak to you now," the nurse behind the desk said, motioning for him to pass through the doors. As he passed through the door, he was assaulted by the smell of disinfectant. He suddenly remembered why he hated hospitals so much. As his childhood memories flooded back to him, his eyes teared up a bit- but he shrugged it off, taking in a deep breath and entering the room where Letty was.

Letty was hooked up to all sorts of machines and the gash on the side of her head was covered by a bandage. The doctor, a small, chubby man, stood by the side of her bed, writing something down on a folder in his hand. "Hi, I'm Dr. Guttierez. You are?" The man said with a Spanish accent. "Leon, her cousin. How is she doing?" Leon asked, approaching the bed.

"Luckily, the baby is fine. Now Leticia here wasn't so lucky. She's in a coma. We don't know for how long but everything seems to be fine," the doctor said, shutting his folder shut. Leon did a double take, not believing his ears. "Excuse me, baby?"

Dr. Gutierrez nodded, confirming that was he heard was correct. Leon blinked rapidly, understanding. "So everything is fine with her and the baby?" He asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Yes, sir. Leticia seems to be in good shape. I believe she will wake up soon and if not, we have about seven months to consider the options for the baby," he replied, slapping Leon on the back, a smile on his face.

Leon knew the doctor's approach like the back of his hand. Quiet all his fears and reassure that nothing is going to go wrong, but just when you think things are going good, it will turn to shit. He nodded, a fake smile on his face, but deep down inside what he wanted to do was throw the doctor's small body through the window then go out and find out where the fuck Dom was.

"I need a cigarette."

--

As he exited the house, everything around him turned deadly quiet. He could've sworn he was in an old western and any minute now Alex would come out blasting from around the corner. Vince made his way towards his car and unlocked it with his remote key.

A loud beeping came out nowhere, startling him. Vince thought back to the conversation that Lex and him had and he panicked. He looked around wildly and then laughed. He remembered the promise she had made to him and the one he had made to her. The secret she shared with him would be one that he would take to the grave- whether or not he wanted to. He reached into his pants and pulled out his cell phone. V glanced at the screen, a private number and shrugged, before picking it up.

"Speak," he barked into the phone. "Going somewhere?" A female voice asked. Vince turned around, glancing up at the second floor window of Alex's house, where she was currently standing, cell phone in hand. "I was heading to the store for some cigarettes," he muttered, opening the door to his car. "That's a nasty habit you know," she replied, taking a puff from her very own.

Vince scoffed and turned his car on. "Well if it ain't the pot calling the kettle black," he said, shifting into reverse. "Well if you turn that piece of shit off and come upstairs I'll show you what else is a nasty habit," Alex replied, ending the call and leaving her position at the window.

Vince shut the phone and glanced up at the window, grinning from ear to ear. He could faintly make out her thong hanging from the window. He shut the car off and exited it, walking towards the house.

"I need someone to pray for me. This woman is going to kill me."


	18. Answers

**Chapter 18: **Answers

Jesse, Vince and Alex leaned against the car they were currently working on and wiped the sweat off their faces, each groaning. "Let's call it day guys. I'm wiped out," Jesse said, walking over to a chair and slumping in it. "Jess, my brother, you've only been working for two hours," Vince said, slapping him on the back and pulling up a chair next to him.

"He's right, V. I need some rest, by MYSELF and this heat is making me sick," Alex said, heading towards her office, where the phone was ringing. She picked up the phone and spoke in hushed tones. "GUYS!" She yelled, running out of the office and towards her car. "Leon called. Letty's in the hospital," she said, turning her car on.

---

Mia's eyes began to droop slowly and popped open when she felt the airplane touch the ground. After her brief meeting with Brian she made her way towards her hotel and began to down everything and anything in sight. She wasn't a drinker, so she spent her morning paying homage to the porcelain gods

And now she was only thirty minutes away from her new home. As she got off the plane, she realized that there was no going back home, that officially she had nothing to go back to. Brian was the one and only reason she ever felt that she needed to go back home. She smiled sadly at the stewardess and made her way towards the airport exit.

--

"I'll kill the bastard," Vince muttered, clenching and unclenching his fists. "Look there's nothing much we can do now. We can just keep coming to visit her and hope that she gets better soon," Lex said, rubbing Jesse's shoulders. "I checked every hotel and bar around here. He's not to be found and no one has seen him," Leon said, flopping into a chair by Letty's hospital bed.

"I guess we should go home then and fill Mia in on everything that happened. Visiting hours are over soon and we all need to relax for a few before we go out and kick Toretto's ass," Lex mumbled, pushing Vince towards the door.

--

Mia stared sadly at her plate, processing what the team had just told her. She nodded softly, her heart breaking at her brother's actions. They were currently around the dinner table, food and Coronas laid out to the nines. "I guess all we can do is wait and see what happens."

Vince and Leon glanced at each other briefly, noticing that their Mia wasn't the same. Somehow, deep inside, she had changed. They expected her to blow up at the news of what happened to Letty, but instead she was calm, like as if she was full of sadness and destruction. Like as if nothing could shock her.

--

Months went on and the team soon fell into a regular pattern. Sunday's were dedicated fully to spending time with Letty. The team would go to the hospital and spend the whole day there, just hanging out and keeping their hopes up. Monday through Friday consisted of work and more work- the hospital bills were racking up and Saturday were the only days the team had to unwind.

Leon and Jesse would usually sleep in, race the local punks and party the night away. Lex and Vince would usually just hang out together- whether at a party, race or at home, the two were inseparable, while Mia was well…

Lost. The only word that could be used to describe Mia was lost. Once again, in a matter of mere months, her whole world was thrown upside down. She would cook, clean and watch Letty's bump grow. It became her life. She had lost her passion and zest for life- she was an empty abyss of what the old Mia was.

--

Jesse and Alex stood in the driveway, working on Jesse's newest creation- a 2005 Jetta that he hoped to make even better than his old baby. They were engrossed in their work and both tuned out what was going on in the rest of their surroundings.

Vince and Mia were perched on the porch- V with a Corona and Mi with some natural fruit juice concoction. Leon was sitting in the middle of the front yard in a small baby pool, a beach chair in the middle- tanning.

None paid attention to the faint tuner engine that was coming towards them even before the car showed itself, but Mia knew. She was a Toretto above all and knew car sounds like the back of her hand. She had seen the car once, and that was all it took for her not to forget it.

She stood up on the porch and stared up the road, faintly seeing a car making it way towards them. "Vince, let me talk to you for a minute," she said, making her way inside the house. V shrugged and followed suit.

--

"I just need one minute, Leon," Brian pleaded. Jesse stood off to the side, too shocked to move. Lex stood behind Leon, ready to help him out if need be. "You got one minute, buster," Leon said, stepping to the side, motioning for Alex to let him through.

Brian entered the living room, shutting the door behind him. He heard what he thought to be footsteps upstairs and gently walked up, trying to catch Mia in her essence. He made his way towards the end of the hallway, seeing shadows under the door. He opened it slowly, a smile on his face, which faded away rapidly.

He opened the door fully, coming face to face with Mia and Vince. V currently had Mi up against the wall, her legs around his waist and his pants around his knees. With perfect timing, Mia threw her head back and moaned, a cold shiver running through Brian.

Mia and Vince froze, sensing another body in the room. They rapidly began to fix their clothes, glancing at Brian nervously. He shook his head slowly, his eyes tearing up. "Brian…" Vince said, approaching the guy. Brian held up a hand and turned, exiting the room. Vince followed him out the door and down the hallway.

"Don't say anything, Vince. I was out of line coming back here," Brian said, walking towards the stairs. "Brian, stick around and talk to her. Don't give up so easily," V said, staring after Brian as he exited the house.


	19. Wants

**Chapter 19: **Wants

Jesse, Leon and Alex watched as Brian walked out of the house and got into his car. The blond man turned the car on and burned rubber as he pulled out of the driveway. Vince walked out of the house, a scowl on his face.

"What the hell happened?" Leon asked, staring after Brian. Mia emerged from the house and stood next to Vince. "I gave him a piece of my mind," she said, turning and entering the house once again. Vince looked after her and frowned.

He had no idea what had just happened.

--

Vince glanced back at Alex, Leon, and Jesse, who were currently situated in the dark living room watching some horror movie. He pushed the kitchen's swinging door and walked into the brightly lit room. He took a seat at the kitchen table and squinted, letting his eyes adjust to the change in lighting.

"You want to tell me what the hell that was all about?" Vince asked Mia, who was currently at the sink, washing dishes. She turned around, wiping her hands on a dish towel and faced him. "What are you talking about, Vince?" She asked, an innocent look on her face.

"That shit seemed too planned out, Mia. You knew Brian was coming. That's why you took me upstairs and you did what you did," he replied. Mia scoffed. "Can't even get the balls up to say that we fucked? That I turned the tables on you and gave you a taste of your own medicine?"

Vince stood up and walked over to her, breathing in deeply. "Anything that we did wasn't just a fuck for me and you know that. I made love to you so don't try to flip it. If you are trying to use me to make Brian jealous you're fucked because I'm not going along with it," he whispered. She sighed softly and stepped in closer to him.

"I'm sorry, Vince. It was the first thing that popped into my head. I was just thinking about how the last couple of months he's been living carefree down in Florida, catching up on his tan with his little skank while I'm over here, drowning in my own tears," she said, her arms moving wildly around her. "This isn't the Mia that I know."

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "You brought me into this Mia. Now I have to walk into the next room and lie to Alex," he said, returning to his original position. "I'll talk to her Vince, I'll tell her the truth."

"Stay away from her, Mi. Don't fuck with her at all. Just stay shut," he said, slapping his hand down on the table and standing. He scowled at her and exited the room, leaving the kitchen's door swinging rapidly after him. Mia stared after him, her eyes teared up. She knew she had to right the wrong she had just dragged Vince into.

--

Alex watched as Vince stormed out of the kitchen and headed outside of the house. She heard him slump into the chair that was out on the front porch, the heavy thud of his boots signaling that he was comfortably seated. Leon and Alex questioningly glanced at each other, then back to the kitchen. She shrugged her shoulders and stood up, bringing her Corona bottle with.

She walked out to the porch and leaned against the railing that was facing Vince, who currently had his arms crossed over his chest and scowl the size of Texas on his face. "What's the matter?" She whispered, passing him the Corona, which he refused with a slight movement from his head.

"What makes you think that there's something wrong?" He barked at her, avoiding her eyes. "Well, let's see… You just said no to a Corona and the fact that you are sitting out here when Leon raided the local video store for movies that would make Bin Laden cringe instead of sitting inside with him and critiquing the finer points of the movie," she said, placing the Corona bottle on the floor next to his chair and straddling him.

"So what's really going on?" She asked, throwing her arms around his neck and nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck. "There's nothing wrong. So just leave it at that," he replied. Lex pulled away from Vince, glaring at him. "I see," she said softly, removing herself from his lap.

She nodded slowly and leaned against the railing once again. Alex stared at Vince intently, noticing the change in his demeanor. She knew his personality like the back of her hand and instinctively knew something was up. She nodded once again before walking into the house. "Where you going?" Vince yelled after her.

Alex shrugged and flopped down into the seat next to Jesse, who threw an arm around her shoulders. She blinked a few times, pushing her hair behind her ears and taking in a deep breath.

Across the room, Mia sat reading a book underneath the faint moonlight that was coming through the front living room windows. As she took one look at Alex, her heart skipped beat. She glanced away rapidly but couldn't help looking back at her once again.

She found her watching the movie intently but she could've sworn Alex had given her a menacing scowl not even 3 seconds ago.

---

Mia sat down in the local coffee shop, the next day, and sipped slowly on the mocha flavored cappuccino she had just bought. As she reached down into her bag to get out the book she had been reading the night before, a shiny glint bouncing off the street caught her eye.

She looked up rapidly and found a very familiar car turning up the street and driving away from the coffee shop. Mia took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What the hell are you still doing here?" She whispered, grabbing her book and coffee, jetting out the shop's door, hoping the that she would be able to catch up with him.

---

Alex shut her cell phone, quietly cursing Rick as she climbed out of her car. She had been M.I.A. the last couple of days on the street scene, for she spent all her time with the team and Vince. She had just promised him she would race tonight and considering the fact that Vince was being kosher with her right now, she deserved a night of fun.

She walked into the local supermarket, grabbing a cart before walking straight to the alcoholic beverage aisle. As she turned into the aisle she came face to face with a blonde guy that looked very familiar. Alex moved the glasses from the bridge of her nose to the top of her head, squinting up at him. "Do I know you?" She asked. The blonde guy nodded and stretched out a hand. "I'm Brian. I think I saw you at the Toretto house," he replied. Alex nodded and took his hand.

Half an hour later they emerged from the supermarket, carrying a handful of shopping bags. "Well Brian, I'll see you tonight at the races," she said, waving goodbye and heading to her car. As she placed the bags into the trunk, her cell phone rang, her caller ID blinking that it was Rick. She picked it up and listened intently. When the call was ended she slammed her trunk door shut, the sound echoing in the empty parking lot.

"Fuck me," she muttered, running around to the other side of the car and getting in, pulling out of her parking space and jetting off. Five minutes later and more then a dozen traffic laws broken, she pulled up to a screeching halt in front of her garage. She found Vince, Leon and Jay seconds away from coming to blows. "Fuck me."


	20. Walk

**Chapter 20: **Walk

You could usually tell what a person is thinking by the sway in their walk or how they hold themselves, and as Alex made her way from her car towards the arguing group of men in front of her garage, her walk made a statement. The way her body strained against itself presented that she was under emotional stress. Her hard thumps on the ground, showed that she was going to let it be known that she was pissed off and not happy.

"Walk," she said, walking up to the threesome and glaring directly at Jay. She stepped squarely between Vince and Jay and stared him down. "Excuse me? I come here to fight for your honor and you tell me to take a little walk?" Jay said, sarcastically. "No, not a little walk. I want you to walk out of my life. Permanently," she replied. Jay scoffed and took a step backward.

"This fucker here barged in and started acting like he owned the place, demanding that we leave the shop or else," Leon spat out, never taking his eyes off Jay. Lex turned and faced Vince, trying to catch his reaction and when she did she wasn't sure if any of them would make out alive.

Vince's body was visibly tense, the veins in his neck bulging out. "I wish you guys would remember your place. Don't you know that I am Alex-," Jay began to say. "Yeah, I know all about you and your fucking tricks. And no, I won't fucking mind bashing your head in for the fun of it. Now I suggest you get the fuck off MY property before I manhandle your ass," Vince said in a sneer whisper.

Jay held his hands up and shrugged his shoulders. He turned his attention to Alex and blew her a kiss. "HIS property? My, oh, my. He hits it for a couple of times and already he thinks he's getting married to you to get his share of wealth. Wait a minute… let me think here… he CAN'T. You're still married to me or did you forget?"

"Actually this piece of paper here clearly states that the garages and the house were sold as of today. She no longer owns any of that. It was all paid for in cash so there's no paper trail and no way for you to get your hands on it. We made sure of that," Mia said, emerging from the garage with a manila folder in hand. Jay glanced between Vince, Alex and Mia, like as if trying to call their bluffs.

He nodded slowly, taking into what had just happened. "Saved by the degenerate rejects, Alex- this time," he said, turning around and heading down the street. As Jay crossed over to the next block, Alex flipped around and stared at Vince. "Good bluff," she said, walking past him and towards her car. "Actually, it's not. You did sell the garages and the houses," he said, walking into the garage.

Alex followed him inside the garage and flipped around, forcing him to look at her. "What the hell are you talking about?" She let go of the vice grip, she had on his arm and walked over to Mia, yanking the folder out of her hand. Alex ripped the folder open, pulling out a signed piece of paper.

"Who the fuck did this shit? Cause I sure as hell know that I didn't fucking sign this paper," she yelled, waving the paper around. Mia threw her hands up and walked away slowly, knowing that Vince had to take one for the team. She took Leon along with her, needing someone to keep her company.

"I did it, Lex. I figured that maybe you would need the extra ammo. You were scared that he would come and fuck everything up so I faked the signature and processed everything so that he couldn't come at you with some bullshit," he replied, walking up to her. "You fucked up, Vince. You don't just pull some shit like that without talking to me first. You will fix this at once, because he's more man than you think and he doesn't give a flying fuck whose property it is. He'll fuck with you, your family and everything you own!" She yelled, shoving him.

Vince glared at her. She was pushing him past his limits and she knew it. "I do something good for once and you fucking throw it in my face?" He sneered at her. Alex scoffed at him and walked over to the bench, her hands gripping onto the edge. She took in deep breaths before picking up a wrench and flinging it at him. It missed but he wasn't happy. He roared at her and walked up to her, getting into Alex's face.

"Fuck you!" He yelled at her, spit flying into her face. Alex smiled softly and laughed. "No," she rather simply answered. He cocked an eyebrow at her response and took a small step back. "How about you go fuck Mia?"

Alex walked away slowly, but this time her walk wasn't one of anger. She had a certain sway in her walk that screamed out that she was free of all burden. That she was carefree and alive once again. She didn't look back as she walked out of the garage and jumped into her car. She just left him gaping at her outburst.

--

She was known at the race scene and tonight was no different. Alex thought it was a little weird of her to ride in someone else's car but she figured what the heck? Blondie seemed innocent enough and she knew the story with him. He gave up his life for his so-called friends that kicked him to the curb when they found out he was a cop. Now Alex doesn't forgive him for lying to them about the cop part, but he put his life on the line for them, and he deserved some gratitude.

The race scene hooted and hollered as they climbed out of the car, taking in the fresh meat she had brought to the scene. Alex introduced Brian to Rick and set him up for a race. "Put a hurting on them, B. It's been a while since they've seen some good competition," she drawled to Brian, placing a hand on his arm. Brian nodded at her and laughed to himself. His future in this town was starting to look good.

"I most definitely will," he replied, taking in the crowd around him. "Boo you're on pins and needles around here. If you don't gain their approval," she said, motioning to all the people walking around, "they you don't got no business in my side of town." Brian glanced over at her, a small grin on his face. "After I tear them apart, I'll let you take me out to dinner."

Alex chuckled and shook her head. "We'll see, B. You're future depends on if you come out of here alive tonight." She motioned to Rick to round the races up and she turned to face Brian once again. They nodded at each other before their separate ways. As Alex made her way through the crowd, towards the alcohol, she spotted a familiar face.

Vince glared back at her, fury clearly written on his face. She cocked an eyebrow and grinned, before walking away. He stared after her and then glanced back to the blonde man that was climbing into his car. He shook his head softly, before making his way towards his own car.

He wasn't about to lose another one to him.

_If any mistakes please excuse me. I typed this up in a hurry between classes._


	21. Author's Note

**Hey guys,**

**Times have been rough recently so I've decided to treat myself to a much needed vacation. Luckily my laptop is going with so I'll be back with some much needed updates. I expect to kick ass and finish all of my stories. I tend to plot out all of stories so Waiting and Sentenced to Life are already planned out I just need to type up and connect everything. I know I don't update on the regular but school/work/family takes up most of my time, but I will be coming through for you guys. Thanks for reading and reviewing. It's very much appreciated. Love ya!!!**

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